A2June 20, 2026·2 min read·313 words·6 vocab words·Source: BBC Technology

New Camera Game Console Arrives in the UK

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New Camera Game Console Arrives in the UK
Photo: BBC Technology
In brief

The Nex Playground is a new video game console launching in the UK on June 22nd. The device uses artificial intelligence and a camera to track player movements instead of controllers. It costs 269 pounds, and most games require a subscription. Parents in the US like the console because it helps their active children exercise.

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Vocabulary · Words with a dotted underline are vocabulary words — tap for an instant definition.

A new video game console will launch soon. It arrives in the UK on June 22nd. Nex is an American company and made the device. The chief executive of Nex is David Lee. The small, cube-shaped console has the name Nex Playground. This system does not have physical hand controllers. Instead, the new console tracks your body movements. It uses artificial intelligence and a special camera. The system tracks eighteen points on the body. This creates a matching avatar on the screen. The console will cost 269 pounds in Britain. It will also cost 319 euros in Ireland. Users can play five starter games for free. But you need a subscription for other games. The new device offers more than sixty games. These games feature famous characters like Peppa Pig. A yearly subscription costs ninety pounds in Britain. A quarterly subscription costs forty-five pounds in Britain. Parents in the US already own the console. A parent named Nick has two young children. He worried about the subscription cost at first. But standard console games cost eighty dollars each. So Nick thinks the subscription price is fair. Another parent named Corey liked the simple setup. The setup was simple and easy to use. A parent named Brian bought the device recently. The camera tracking was not always precise. Sometimes it felt worse than the older systems. For the company, privacy is a top priority. The camera only tracks movements during a game. The device does not save your video anywhere. It processes all data locally on the machine. It never sends your video to the cloud. The camera has a useful lens cover too. Parents can also hide games from their children. The console was a big surprise in America. It sold very well over Black Friday 2025. It outsold the Xbox Series S and X. Many parents hope it gets their children moving.

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Comprehension
Question 1 of 3

When does the Nex Playground arrive in the UK?

Grammar spotlight

Future with 'will'

One point · A2

We use 'will' followed by the base form of the verb to talk about future facts or predictions.

From this article

A new video game console will launch soon.

What to know · A2

Use it today

Try saying this aloud

Neutral register

Scenario: Discussing whether to buy a new gaming system.

  1. 01He said the interface was easy to use.
  2. 02The camera has a useful lens cover too.
  3. 03It arrives in the UK on June 22nd.

Register tip · informal

🔑Key Phrases

A new video game console will launch soon.Eine neue Videospielkonsole wird bald auf den Markt kommen.

Announces the upcoming release of a gaming device.

Future Simple (will + verb)

A new smartphone model will launch soon.

The camera only tracks movements during a game.Die Kamera verfolgt Bewegungen nur während eines Spiels.

Explains how the camera is used for active play and privacy.

Adverb + Present Simple Verb

The program only updates files during the night.

The console was a big surprise in America.Die Konsole war eine große Überraschung in Amerika.

Reports the unexpected commercial success of the product.

Past Simple with Be

The movie was a big success in Europe.

🎙️ Article Audio — Kokoro TTS

New Camera Game Console Arrives in the UK

💬Discussion Questions

Open-ended questions to talk or write about — alone, with a partner, or in class.

  1. 1

    Why do you think the console sold so well during Black Friday?

    Opinion
  2. 2

    How does screen time today compare to screen time in the past?

    Compare
  3. 3

    What kind of active games will people play in ten years?

    Predict
  4. 4

    Which do you prefer, a simple setup or a complex device?

    Compare
  5. 5

    Why is it important to have a lens cover on a camera?

    Evaluate
  6. 6

    What active video games have you tried in your life?

    Personal
  7. 7

    How can parents help their children balance exercise and video games?

    Opinion
  8. 8

    Is a yearly subscription better than buying games individually?

    Evaluate

Adapted from BBC Technology · Read the original. LinguaPress rewrites the facts as original graded-reader text for language learners.

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