Tencent, the publisher of popular games like League of Legends, has announced the Tencent Games Platform (TGP) BOX for a release in its home country of China. It's a Windows 10-based game console that can download games and can also live stream gameplay sessions

http://m.windowscentral.com/tencent-launching-windows-10-based-game-console-china

Meh, let me know when 50 Cent makes a console.

So, how exactly is it a console if it has Windows 10? I get it that Microsoft has the capability to modify the operating system enough to make a console version of it, but third parties? Isn't this essentially just a PC with some custom software pre-installed?

Curious looking controller.

Nice to see a chinese console that doesn't use the exact designs of the PS4 /XBone.

It's of no interest to us but these type of copies can do very well in China. They've copied many different products before whether it be Facebook or WhatsApp and they've been very successful.

But I guess this means tencent published games are very unlikely to come to the other consoles now?

A gaming console with Windows 10... that's exactly what we needed -.-

Isn't that the definition of a console, a custom built PC with special software built in?

Sort of. Most consoles have a custom operating system but this seems to have regular Windows 10, which essentially makes it a PC aimed for the console market. It's sort of like Steam Machines, which have their own operating system designed for a more console-like experience. Of course you can install SteamOS on any computer, so it's not that different, but I'd still say this is closer to regular PCs than Steam Machines are.

I guess it's actually a pretty deep question. Would PS4 still be considered a console if it had regular Windows 10 with no limitations on what you can do with it? If yes, how do you even define a console?

Wonder how this will go, Tencent are a massive name in China but I still feel like they arent going all in on this thing.
Just cant see China moving away from PC/Mobile anytime soon.