Nex
Nex (NEX Team Inc.) is a private entertainment technology company that builds the Nex Playground, an AI-powered motion-tracking console enabling controller-free family gameplay. The company monetizes through hardware sales and the Play Pass subscription service, targeting families with children aged 3-12.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSan Jose, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Nex does
Nex (NEX Team Inc.) is a private entertainment technology company founded in 2017 and headquartered in San Jose, California, that builds motion-controlled gaming hardware and software for families. Its core product is the Nex Playground, a camera-based console that uses on-device AI computer vision to detect and respond to body movements in real time, enabling controller-free, full-body gameplay and positioning the device as an active play system rather than a traditional gaming console. The company is COPPA- and GDPR-compliant, with all motion data processed locally on the device and no cloud video storage. Nex also operates a developer program (Nex Motion Development Kit, MDK) for external studios to build motion-powered games on the platform.
The company's revenue model combines one-time hardware sales of the Nex Playground console (priced at $249 USD pre-April 2026, $299 from April 2026, £269.99 in the UK, €319 in the EU) with recurring subscription revenue from the Play Pass service, which offers access to over 60 games. Hardware is distributed through Amazon, Argos, Smyths Toys, and TikTok Shop in North America, the UK, and Ireland. Content is anchored by a deep library of licensed children's IP (Peppa Pig, Bluey, Barbie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Care Bears) and, as of 2026, tier-one entertainment partnerships including SEGA (Sonic Forces, Q4 2026), HYBE (BTS-branded Starri experience), Dude Perfect, Spin Master, and Sesame Workshop. The company is venture-backed by investors including Samsung, HBSE, Dapper Labs, and the NBA.
Nex's earlier products included the HomeCourt AI basketball training app (Apple Design Award 2019, NBA partnership) and the Active Arcade mobile motion gaming platform, both of which seeded the computer vision and motion-tracking expertise now embedded in the Playground. By December 2025, Nex had sold nearly 800,000 Playground units, briefly outsold Sony's PS5 Slim Digital Edition and Microsoft Xbox during the 2025 holiday season, was projecting over $150 million in 2025 revenue, and was expanding internationally for the first time with the June 2026 UK/Ireland launch. Recognition includes the TIME100 Most Influential Companies list, TIME Best Inventions 2023, and Parents Magazine Best New Entertainment System 2023.
Nex firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nex
- Legal name
- NEX Team Inc.
- Website
- https://nex.inc
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Nex (NEX Team Inc.) is a private entertainment technology company that builds the Nex Playground, an AI-powered motion-tracking console enabling controller-free family gameplay. The company monetizes through hardware sales and the Play Pass subscription service, targeting families with children aged 3-12.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nex industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Consumer Gaming Hardware
- NAICS
- Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)
- SIC
- Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)
- akta.pro primary industry
- VR/XR Hardware & Accessories (Headsets, Controllers, Trackers, Haptics) (MPAFAGAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Game UI/UX, Scripting & Visual Authoring Tools (MPAFAFAK)
Keywords
Where Nex is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Jose
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Nex business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: Sales of the Nex Playground console device to consumers through retail channels. The console is sold as a one-time hardware purchase at retailers including Amazon, Argos, and Smyths Toys.
- Play Pass Subscription: Content subscription service offering access to over 60 games on the Nex Playground platform. Provides recurring revenue through monthly or annual subscription fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Nex Playground Console |
| Subscription | Monthly | Play Pass Subscription |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Nex product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nex designs and sells the Nex Playground, a dedicated motion-tracking gaming console that uses an AI-powered camera to enable controller-free, full-body gameplay for families with children. The company monetizes through one-time hardware sales of the console and a recurring Play Pass subscription that grants access to over 60 games, supplemented by a developer kit (Nex MDK) for external studios to build motion-powered titles.
Product overview
Nex is a motion entertainment company offering the Nex Playground as its primary consumer product — a camera-based gaming console that uses AI-powered motion capture to enable controller-free, full-body gameplay. The ecosystem includes Play Pass (subscription access to 60+ games), the Nex Motion Development Kit (MDK) for external developers, and legacy products like HomeCourt (AI basketball training app) and Active Arcade (mobile motion gaming platform). Recent brand partnerships include Sonic Forces, BTS music experiences, and Dude Perfect content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Nex Playground A dedicated hardware gaming console that uses an AI-powered camera to enable controller-free, full-body motion gameplay for families with children aged 3-12. Processes body movement on-device for privacy-first play with no ads or in-app purchases.
- Play Pass Nex Playground's subscription service providing ongoing access to over 60 games on the Nex Playground platform, including new game releases and licensed content such as Sonic Forces and BTS-branded experiences.
- Nex Motion Development Kit (MDK) A development kit that enables external game studios, indie developers, brands and IP holders to build motion entertainment experiences for the Nex Playground platform using Nex's motion-tracking technology.
Quantifiable outcome
- Outperformed PS5 and Xbox in sales during 2025 holiday season
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Nex
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Nex technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
Nex partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SEGAcoreCollaboration to bring Sonic Forces (Working Title) to Nex Playground in Q4 2026, celebrating Sonic the Hedgehog franchise's 35th anniversary. Game is being developed by SEGA's HARDlight Studios and will be available through Play Pass subscription service.
- HYBEcorePartnership to bring a BTS-branded music experience to Nex Playground later in 2026, marking Nex's first-ever co-branded edition of Starri. The experience uses Nex Playground's controller-free motion-tracking technology for full-body gameplay with BTS music.
- Wrexham AFCminorKit sleeve sponsorship beginning with the 2026-27 season and joint fan engagement and youth sports initiatives through the Wrexham AFC Foundation and Academy. Also serves as market entry partnership for UK and Republic of Ireland expansion.
- Dude PerfectminorPartnership to develop new motion-powered gameplay exclusively for Nex Playground, set to launch in summer 2026. Integrates Dude Perfect's signature trick-shot content into active family play.
- Spin MasterminorLaunched Unicorn Academy: Friendship Adventures motion-powered game exclusively on Nex Playground, inspired by Spin Master's Unicorn Academy series. Allows players to engage in active play by completing quests and unlocking new magical abilities with unicorns.
- Sesame WorkshopminorPartnership for active learning games combining educational content with motion-based gameplay on Nex Playground.
- NikeminorNike and Nex teamed up to develop new digital experiences together.
- NBAminorHomeCourt and NBA announced first-of-its-kind strategic partnership in July 2019.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Nex competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Nintendo: Family-friendly gaming hardware (Switch, Switch 2) targeting similar parents-and-kids use cases. Closest direct competitor for living-room family entertainment time and gifting occasions.
- VTech: Children's electronic learning and gaming devices (including the LeapFrog brand). Competes for the same parent buyer looking for safe, screen-based entertainment for ages 3–12.
- LeapFrog (VTech): Educational gaming hardware and tablets for young children. Overlaps directly with Nex Playground's child-safe, parent-approved positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Microsoft (Xbox / Kinect): Console incumbent whose Kinect pioneered camera-based motion gaming. Nex positions itself as the privacy-first, kid-focused successor that the Kinect never became at scale.
- Sony (PlayStation): Console competitor whose PS5 Slim Digital Edition was briefly outsold by Nex Playground during the 2025 holiday season. Massive installed base and exclusive content remain the structural advantages.
- Meta (Quest): Camera-and-AI-based motion gaming hardware (Quest 3, Horizon Worlds). Competes for active-play minutes but targets older users and a different form factor (headset vs. living-room console).
- Roku: Living-room streaming hardware and OS that increasingly embeds casual and cloud gaming. Could either compete with or distribute Nex content depending on partnership structure.
- Amazon Fire TV: Living-room entertainment hardware and app store where Nex Playground games could be distributed (Amazon is already a retail channel for the console). Strategic overlap on the family screen.
Emerging players
- Peloton: Connected fitness hardware with a subscription content layer and household positioning. Useful comparable for the recurring-revenue model Nex is building around Play Pass.
- Tonal: Premium connected fitness hardware with subscription content for the household. Analogous premium-pricing, content-subscribed, family-lifestyle positioning even though the use case is strength training rather than active play.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nex social profiles
Digital presenceNex compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Nex financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nex leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Nex funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors14 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nex M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nex
What does Nex do?
Nex designs and sells the Nex Playground, a dedicated motion-tracking gaming console that uses an AI-powered camera to enable controller-free, full-body gameplay for families with children. The company monetizes through one-time hardware sales of the console and a recurring Play Pass subscription that grants access to over 60 games, supplemented by a developer kit (Nex MDK) for external studios to build motion-powered titles.
Is Nex a public or private company?
Nex is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Nex founded?
Nex was founded in 2017. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Nex based?
Nex is headquartered in San Jose, United States, in the North America region.
How does Nex make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are play Pass Subscription.
Who are Nex's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Nintendo, VTech and LeapFrog (VTech). Broad incumbents are Microsoft (Xbox / Kinect), Sony (PlayStation), Meta (Quest), Roku and Amazon Fire TV. Emerging players are Peloton and Tonal.
Does Nex have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nex.
What industry is Nex in?
Nex's product category is Consumer Gaming Hardware. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAGAG, VR/XR Hardware & Accessories (Headsets, Controllers, Trackers, Haptics), with a secondary code of MPAFAFAK, Game UI/UX, Scripting & Visual Authoring Tools. Its NAICS code is 339930 and its SIC code is 3944.