Nex Playground: Motion Gaming Console Backed by NBA Legends
Never would have that a console called Nex Playground would dethrone a gaming idustry giant! Alex Wu didn’t set out to reinvent gaming hardware, but he sure as sugar his path from the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce to Silicon Valley positioned him perfectly for it. After stints at Meta, Uber, and Quora, Wu co‑founded Nex in 2018. The company initially gained traction with its HomeCourt app, which tracked basketball shots and earned backing from NBA figures like Steve Nash and Mark Cuban. But it was Nex Playground—a cutely colored, cube‑sized, motion‑controlled console—that vaulted Wu into the wider gaming spotlight.
By late 2025, Nex Playground had become the number one seller in Amazon’s “Plug & Play Video Games” category, shockingly outselling Xbox during Black Friday. For Wu, the success wasn’t just about market dominance—it was about creating something he could share with his 4‑year‑old son, Cassian. “To me, that’s the most fulfilling thing,” Wu told UVA Today.
Motion Gaming and Family‑Focused Play
Nex Playground isn’t about sitting on the couch with a controller. It’s about full‑body play. Titles like Barbie Dance Party, Bluey Bust‑a‑Move, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Mayhem demand jump squats, punches, and pizza‑collecting antics. Wu describes it as exhausting but fun:
“You’re basically doing jump squats until you can’t do it anymore. You’re hitting bad guys, you’re getting pizza. You’re doing a bunch of things.”
Celebrity endorsements from Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, and Giannis Antetokounmpo boosted visibility, but Wu insists the most valuable feedback comes from Cassian. “They have no filter,” he said of his kids. “It’s awesome.”
Licensing Wins: Sesame Street, Mattel, NHL, and Bluey
As Nex’s vice president of strategy, business development, and partnerships, Wu compares his role to sourcing ingredients for a restaurant. “You want truffles? I’m going to get you the best truffles out there at the best price,” he explained. That mindset has landed Nex licensing deals with Sesame Street, Mattel, and the National Hockey League.
One of Wu’s biggest wins was securing rights to Bluey, the wildly popular Australian children’s show. He and his team traveled to Brisbane to pitch executives, with Wu demonstrating encyclopedic knowledge of the series.
“Literally, you can ask me anything. Ask me anything about any episode. I’ve watched all of them with my son multiple times,” he said.
That authenticity convinced the brand to trust Nex—despite Bluey only granting a handful of licenses in 2025, one of which went to Lego.
Why Nex Playground’s Success Matters for Gaming’s Future
Nex Playground’s rise can be seen as a shift from the norm in the gaming world. Instead of chasing awesome graphics that mimic the real world or VR headsets, Wu and his team took on a more family-oriented path thatallowed for active play. The console’s success shows there’s demand for games that get players moving, laughing, and sweating together.
For Wu, the journey is personal. He’s not just building a product—he’s building memories with his son, while proving that innovation doesn’t have to include shutting yourself in a room alone. Nex Playground may be pint‑sized, but its impact is outsized, redefining what plug‑and‑play gaming can be.
