Zhidx (WeChat public account: zhidxcom)
Compiled | Yang Jingli
Edited | Li Shuiqing
Zhidx reported on November 10 that Supply Co., the store under OpenAI, today listedthe retro game console ModRetro Chromatic: Codex Edition, priced atUS$200 (approximately RMB 1,334).
This product was jointly launched by OpenAI and retro hardware manufacturer ModRetro and comes witha programmable Codex game cartridge. Using Codex and the ModRetro Chromatic plug-in, users can create games in the style of Nintendo Game Boy Color, then write the generated game files to the cartridge and run them on the handheld.
OpenAI’s developer team said users can start designing a game with a single prompt, after which Codex helps complete the scenes, characters, animations, maps, and game logic. The games can run in a computer emulator or be tested on the Chromatic game console before ultimately being written to a physical cartridge.
On September 30, this game console made its debut as an event-exclusive productat the OpenAI DevDay conference and became popular among developers. Now that its appearance has been updated, it has officially become a new product in OpenAI’s Supply Co. store.
The product currently ships only to the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, and was marked as sold out less than one hour after going on sale. Restocking is expected on November 19.
An overseas developer received this product while attending an OpenAI DevDay event and combined their experiences at three OpenAI-related events in San Francisco, Berlin, and London to create the game “Traveller.” In the game’s animation, the Codex desktop pet travels among landmark buildings in San Francisco, Berlin, and London.
▲A game created by a developer using the game console (image source: X)
Other netizens compared the moves of OpenAI and Anthropic: Anthropic released a new model, Fable 5.2, while OpenAI only released a game console. Netizens used this to call on OpenAI to launch a new model as soon as possible.
▲Netizens urging the release of an updated model (image source: X)
1. Describe requirements in natural language, and Codex can directly generate and preview a game
Users need to open Codex in the ChatGPT desktop app and search for and install the ModRetro Chromatic plug-in on the plug-in page. They then open a local project folder and select the plug-in in the chat using “@,” allowing Codex to invoke the relevant tools.
After completing the setup, users can directly describe the game they want to make. OpenAI demonstrated the creation of a top-down adventure game called “Lodge Podge,” in which the player controls a pixel beaver that chops down small trees, collects timber, and builds a cabin at the center of the level.
After receiving the requirements, Codex can begin creating the game project and open a preview page. Once the initial version is complete, users can continue test-playing and request modifications. For example, users can ask Codex to make the beaver rounder while adding resources such as dirt and leaves, so that building the cabin requires more materials.
2. The plug-in includes tools for character and map creation, allowing Codex to repeatedly test and debug games in the emulator.
The ModRetro Chromatic plug-in includes a range of built-in game development tools.
For character animation, users can have Codex generate sprite sheets that display frames of different actions side by side. If a pose or direction needs adjustment, users can describe the specific changes, and Codex will regenerate the preview.
For map creation, Codex can display the scene background and collision map side by side. The collision map indicates which tiles block character movement. Users can identify areas that need adjustment based on the background and then ask Codex to set the corresponding locations as passable or impassable.
Codex also supports running ROMs (read-only memory files) directly in the built-in browser. Users can use the arrow keys, Z key, X key, and Enter key to emulate the Nintendo Game Boy handheld’s directional pad, A button, B button, and Start button, and pause or resume the game from the toolbar.
If users need to modify a specific area of the game, they can select “Annotate Game” in the preview toolbar and click the screen to freeze the current frame. They can then select a character, tile, or specific area and describe the changes they want. After Codex makes the adjustments, it rebuilds the ROM and opens a new preview.
Users can also have Codex automatically perform a sequence of button presses, capture the screen after each step, and view multiple screens side by side to check whether the game flow and character animations are working correctly.
3. Developers can extend game mechanics using the C language, build the ROM, and write it to a cartridge
GB Studio is a visual editor for creating Game Boy games. Users can open a project generated by Codex, adjust scenes, characters, and collision areas, save the changes, and then return to Codex to rebuild and preview the game.
If the built-in features are insufficient, developers can extend game mechanics using GBVM and C, or develop games with toolchains such as GBDK-2020 and RGBDS, and then have the ModRetro plug-in inspect and test them.
After debugging is complete, users need to prepare a Chromatic handheld, rewritable cartridges, and a USB cable. They must update the firmware, enable developer mode, and then select “Install on Chromatic” in Codex to write the ROM to the cartridge.
OpenAI warns that writing a new ROM will delete the game already stored on the cartridge and may also erase saved data. The installer does not automatically back up the cartridge. After users confirm the installation, they must keep the cable connected until the plug-in reports that installation is complete.
ModRetro Chromatic: The Codex edition features a 2.56-inch, 160×144-pixel IPS backlit display, supports Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges, runs on three AA batteries, and includes a USB-C port, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and a speaker.
In addition to the handheld, OpenAI Supply Co. offers a Chromatic carrying case and an extra Codex cartridge. The carrying case has a hard shell and microfiber lining and can hold one additional cartridge, while the Codex cartridge is used to store the next game the user creates.
Conclusion: From mechanical keyboards to game consoles, OpenAI is exploring hardware in multiple areas
In July of this year, OpenAI and keyboard manufacturer Work Louder jointly launched the Codex Micro, a miniature mechanical keyboard designed for quickly accessing and managing Codex tasks. In August, according to Gurman, OpenAI was working with a studio led by former Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive to develop an anthropomorphic interactive smart speaker, with a release expected in 2027.
From the miniature mechanical keyboard to the newly announced game handheld and the smart speaker that may launch in the future, OpenAI is gradually expanding AI capabilities into more hardware form factors and use cases.
Source: OpenAI, X
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