toio

toio is an educational video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It consists of two miniature robots, a docking station with a monochrome display, a cartridge port to load software onto, and two controllers. After shipping to crowdfunding backers in January 2018, the platform was released across Japan in March 2019.

toio
ManufacturerSony Interactive Entertainment
TypeVideo game console
GenerationEighth
Release date
  • JP: March 20, 2019 (2019-03-20)
Introductory priceJP¥16,980
StorageFlash memory
Inputtoio ring:
ConnectivityBluetooth

Development

The product was conceived by Alexis André, based out of Sony Computer Science Laboratories' Tokyo division. It was unveiled at the Tokyo Toy Show and was put up for pre-order on Sony Corporation's First Flight crowdfunding platform in June 2017.[1] Bandai, LEGO and Sony Music were announced as partners in development and content creation.[2] In late 2017, Sony Interactive Entertainment took over the project as it offered a challenge beyond the television.[3] Backers began receiving toio in January 2018.

Shortly after the project shifted to the gaming division, the hardware and software was significantly redesigned to improve stability. Sony offered the revised version of toio to those who crowdfunded the original at no additional cost.[3] This version began being sold to the general public in Japan on March 20, 2019.[4] Sony made the platform open source and released a GitHub repository on June 13, 2019.[5] On September 30, 2020, Sony and Morikatron released a free Unity software development kit designed for toio.[6]

Kits

Alongside the hardware itself, Sony has released a variety of themed kits that include game cartridges, additional toys for the robots and books with activities.

Game titleRelease Date
toio collectionMarch 20, 2019[4]
Papercraft Creatures - Gesundroid
GoGo Robot Programming
toio driveNovember 14, 2019[7]
~More Fun For Everyone~ toio collection Expansion PackDecember 5, 2019[7]
PicotonsSeptember 10, 2020[8]
The Phantom Thief and the Demon King's MuseumNovember 19, 2020[9]

Reception

The platform and its games have won multiple Japanese Good Design Awards between 2017 and 2020.[10][11][12][13] Papercraft Creatures - Gesundroid made the Jury's Selection in the Entertainment category during the 22nd Japan Media Arts Festival in 2019.[14] In 2020, the hardware won a Red Dot Design Award and an iF Product Design Award.[15][16]

References
  1. Tarantola, Andrew (June 13, 2017). "Sony's fantastical Toio cubes combine robotics with papercraft". Engadget. Verizon Media. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  2. Ito, Tamotsu (June 2, 2017). "予約即日完売！新発表のおもちゃ｢toio｣に込められたソニーの革新的技術". Business Insider (in Japanese). Axel Springer SE. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  3. Nishida, Munechika (March 19, 2019). "｢プレステのソニー｣が挑むロボット・トイ｢toio｣の勝算 ──"ハード"が別物に進化していた". Business Insider (in Japanese). Axel Springer SE. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  4. "Sony's Educational Toy Platform "toio" Launches In Japan On March 20". Siliconera. January 17, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  5. Aikawa, Izumi (June 15, 2019). "SIEのロボットトイ「toio」が新展開。専用タイトル第4弾「トイオ・ドライブ」や技術仕様の公開がアナウンスされた発表会をレポ―ト". 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  6. "ロボットトイ「toio（トイオ）」を活用できる開発ソフト「toio SDK for Unity」の無料配信がスタート". Sony Interactive Entertainment (Press release) (in Japanese). 4Gamer.net. September 30, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  7. "ロボットトイtoioが新たなるフェーズへ。『トイオ・ドライブ』を始め数々の新作が明らかにされた"toio 新タイトル＆プロジェクト発表ステージ"リポート". Famitsu (in Japanese). November 14, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  8. "ロボットトイ「toio」専用タイトル「おんがくであそぼう ピコトンズ」が9月10日に発売". Sony Interactive Entertainment (Press release) (in Japanese). 4Gamer.net. July 31, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  9. Gueed (October 1, 2020). "ロボットトイ「toio」の専用タイトル第7弾「大魔王の美術館と怪盗団」が11月19日に発売へ。ロボットを使ったボードゲーム". 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  10. "Toy Platform [toio]". Good Design Award. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  11. ""toio" format title [GoGo Robot Programming]". Good Design Award. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  12. ""toio" format title [Papercraft Creatures - Gesundroid]". Good Design Award. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  13. ""toio" format title [PICOTONS]". Good Design Award. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  14. "Papercraft Creatures - Gesundroid - Jury Selections". Japan Media Arts Festival. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  15. "Red Dot Design Award: toio™ (TPH-1000T 010)". Red Dot Design Award. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  16. "toio™ (TPH-1000T 010) - iF World Design Guide". International Forum Design. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
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