A colourful, motion-controlled games console designed for families has become one of the surprise tech success stories of 2025, outselling Xbox in the US during the Black Friday period.

The Nex Playground, often described as a modern take on Microsoft’s abandoned Kinect concept, is on track to sell around 600,000 units globally this year, according to US sales tracking firm Circana.

That’s nearly four times its 2024 sales and a dramatic rise for a product few consumers had heard of just months ago.

During late November, the Nex Playground ranked as the second and third-best-selling console in the US, ahead of Xbox hardware and behind only PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2. In October, it didn’t even register in industry sales reports.

Much of the momentum came from a sharp Black Friday discount, dropping the price from US$249 to US$199, but analysts say its appeal runs deeper.

Unlike traditional consoles, the Nex Playground uses a built-in camera to track body movement, allowing kids to play games using gestures instead of controllers.

The games focus on activity, rhythm and simple sports, making it popular with parents keen to reduce sedentary screen time.

The console launched in late 2023 and initially sold just 5,000 units two years ago. Last year that figure jumped to 150,000.

This year, Nex expects revenue to exceed US$150 million, pushing the company towards profitability for the first time.

Demand has repeatedly outstripped supply, with shortages reported at major US retailers and inflated resale prices briefly appearing online.

While Nex Playground is not yet officially available in Australia, retailers are understood to be exploring stocking the console in 2026.