PlayMG Corp., a new startup comprised of electronics, game and social industry veterans who have come together to fuel the redesign of gaming and bring “more game” affordably into people’s lives, announces MG — the first dedicated portable Wi-Fi gaming system for the massive 60,000-plus Android freemium app games market. MG’s big 4″ touchscreen, rounded corners and grip and exclusive new features cater to the heaviest segment of game users — 63 million kids under 18 years-old, 39 million of which do not yet have smartphones.

“Like the music business before it, the gaming industry is experiencing a dramatic digital transformation, where emerging ‘app based gaming’ is becoming the dominant method of playing and purchasing games,” said T. Scott Edwards, PlayMG Founding Partner and Marketing Guru. “The MG’s price will mean some kids will be able to enjoy app gaming for the very first time, and parents will be happy to discover the MG will mean their kids are finally going to stop asking to borrow their smartphones and tablets.”

By eliminating the need to purchase expensive data plans or packaged games, the MG does not carry the high total costs traditionally associated with smartphones and portable gaming devices. With a competitive suggested retail price of $169.00, each MG will include both preloaded games and a cash credit toward future game purchases. The first 2,000 early adopters who visit Kickstarter and pledge $99 will be rewarded with an MG this holiday season. Other supporters will be able to order their MG for $149. The MG Kickstarter campaign direct link: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/playmg/mg-first-portable-gaming-system-for-the-android-ma?ref=live

The MG Family Collaboration System — a new feature in the portable gaming space — includes a “DebitSmart” Digital Wallet and “Remote Trust” notification functions. The MG “DebitSmart” Digital Wallet allows parents to set up a reloadable debit account for their teen’s MG and create “game allowances” that link their credit card or bank account to a set amount. Parents will no longer need to be bothered every time their teen wants to make a 99 cent purchase or worry about surprise charges. MG’s “Remote Trust” notification allows kids the freedom to discover, download and play the games they want from the app marketplace, while parents can opt in to receive email updates on their kids’ MG activity.

Other unique features include the proprietary MG Origins Avatar System — as gamers use the MG, they gain points, customize and unlock the origin story of their own personal gaming companion, which makes setting up and using their MG a game in and of itself. MG is also one of the first gaming devices to carry Android 4.0’s new Face Unlock security feature utilizing MG’s built-in front-facing camera.

Ensuring there will always be the ability to inexpensively play ‘more game,’ the MG comes with a standard SD port, allowing users to add expandable memory to download and save as many games, and even music and videos, as desired. This is an important advantage, as consumers are the ones who end up paying an exorbitant amount for their device’s built in memory.

“You are not held hostage to the MG’s memory like you are with an iTouch,” said Taylor Cavanah, MG Founding Partner and Meta Gamer. “You can instantly add 16GB of memory for around $20.”

Knowing the competitive category it is up against, both in the digital app and handheld gaming space, PlayMG has focused all of its resources and efforts into making sure the MG delivers on a solid dedicated app-based gaming experience, and at a price people can afford. The MG runs on Android 4.0 — Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) — which means many of the great game apps designed to operate on ICS can be fully experienced on the MG, unlike many of the mobile devices locked into data plans by service providers that haven’t upgraded.

“We kept the startup of our company and the MG system close to the vest until we felt we could announce it in all its glory after extensive R&D and multiple rounds of prototype testing,” said Edwards. “Our approach has meant we can be more nimble and innovative than the ‘Big Guys’ because we aren’t stuck with their large overhead costs, legacy businesses and slow corporate structure.”

PlayMG synchronized its MG product announcement with the launch of its Kickstarter campaign to not only showcase the MG, but also build support and make this first-of-its-kind gaming system available to early adopters. The full MG story is available by visiting http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/playmg/mg-first-portable-gaming-system-for-the-android-ma?ref=live which provides a window into the design, development and manufacturing of the MG, as well as future plans to provide an exclusive suite of games from a wide variety of game developers. Backers of the MG Kickstarter campaign will have an opportunity to choose various levels of pledges and rewards to get involved.

To ensure fulfillment and logistics for the holiday 2012 season, PlayMG has partnered with Fulfillment by Amazon. PlayMG is also currently in talks with major retailers throughout the country and will be announcing those partnerships as they are finalized.

MG Topline Features: First Dedicated Portable Gaming Device for the Android Market

– Built in Wi-Fi allows entry into the unlimited world of low cost and free app gaming
– Big 4″ touchscreen encased in a sleek and sturdy “pocketable” game-centric design: rounded corners and grip provide a perfect hold on the gaming experience
– 4GB built in memory with SD port for expandable memory ability: add SD cards and download and save as many games as desired
– Proprietary MG Origins Avatar System: as gamers use the MG, they gain points, customize and unlock the origin story of their own personal gaming companion
– MG Family Collaboration System: includes the “DebitSmart” Digital Wallet and “Remote Trust” notification functions
– Preloaded games and cash credit toward game purchases
– 1.3 Megapixel Front-Facing Camera and ability to shoot and play video
– Stereo Headset Jack
– Operating on ICS ; includes new Face Unlock security feature

PlayMG Corp. is a startup formed in 2012 comprised of electronics, game and social industry veterans who have come together to fuel the redesign of gaming™ and bring “more game” affordably into people’s lives. PlayMG is the visionary creator of MG — the first dedicated portable Wi-Fi gaming system for the Android freemium app games market. Learn more at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/playmg/mg-first-portable-gaming-system-for-the-android-ma?ref=live and www.PlayMg.com. Also, visit PlayMG on Facebook at facebook.com/mgmoregame to help spread the ‘more game’ word.