Nex Playground, the console which outsold the PS5 during Black Friday, is coming to the UK
Pre-orders begin May 18 for the motion-sensing console
📈 The Nex Playground motion-sensing console is launching in the UK and Ireland after strong US sales
💰 It costs £269 and offers an optional Play Pass for access to over 60 family-friendly games
📸 The system uses camera tracking for controller-free play, featuring brands like Bluey and Sesame Workshop
👉 Pre-orders are available now at major retailers like Amazon UK, Argos, and Smyths
The Nex Playground, a motion-sensing console that sees you use your body to play games, grabbed headlines last November when it outsold Sony’s PS5 during Black Friday. And now, as it approaches one million units sold in the US, it’s coming to the UK and Ireland.
If you haven’t heard of the Nex Playground, it’s a family-friendly console that includes five-motion sensing games for $249 (or £269/€319). An annual Play Pass can be purchased for $99 (or £90/€99), which gives you access to over 60+ games, which include titles from Paramount, Hasbro, Sesame Workshop, and NBCUniversal. A three-month quarterly Play Pass is also available for $49 (£45/€49).
Like Microsoft’s defunct Kinect, the Nex Playground uses a camera to track your movements, and lets you use your body as a controller. With games based on popular children’s programs like Bluey, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Dora the Explorer, its family-focused library will be appealing to parents.
“2026 is a defining moment for Nex as we take a big leap onto the global stage,” said Tom Kang, President and Head of International of Nex. “Trust and safety have always been central to how we build Nex Playground, and it is one of the first things we look at when entering a new market. Parents in the U.K. and Ireland care deeply about how their kids spend time on screens and what they’re exposed to - Nex Playground provides a direct solution to these pain points.
“With our launch in the U.K. and Ireland, we’re moving closer to our mission of bringing active play, movement, connection, growth, and joy to living rooms around the world. We’re excited for families across the region to jump in and experience Nex Playground together.”
The Nex Playground, which can be purchased from Amazon in the US, is available to pre-order today from Amazon UK, Argos, Smyths, and will also be available on the TikTok shop from June 2026.
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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.