Figment – ​​​​an ascetic console with an E Ink screen for text games

In February of this year, the unusual gadget Ink Console was introduced – a device for launching text games with a screen that imitates electronic ink. It is a hybrid of an e-book and a game console, designed exclusively for text entertainment – the format from which the video game industry began and the RPG genre appeared. Now a similar project has appeared, but with a more familiar appearance.

Unlike the Ink Console, which is more like a reader, the new Figment device is made in the form factor of a classic portable console. It is equipped with a horizontal 7.5-inch E Ink display and a minimal set of buttons. The device is built on the basis of the ESP32 microcontroller, and its case is made using 3D printing.

As in the case of the Ink Console, Figment was created exclusively for text games. But thanks to the use of generative artificial intelligence, the gameplay goes beyond the traditional scripted narrative.

The device’s game engine combines pre-written texts and AI capabilities. This allows the plot to be supplemented in real time if the player deviates from the given line. Image generation and the use of large language models help adapt the story to the user’s actions. There is no information yet on the release date of Figment and its cost.