Theorysonic Pyramid

Theorysonic Pyramid is a home video game console developed by Theorysonic. It is the first home video game console to be based on TS-UGOS.

Development
The development of the Pyramid began in 1998 under the codename “Giza”. Theorysonic Pyramid was launched on January 4, 2000, in El Kadsre with the price of $599. It has 4 player controllers, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM and a USB output for saving data, downloading content, playing multimedia and backup, while its controller has two analog sticks, a digital pad, four action buttons, two action triggers, built-in speakers and a built-in page orientation color LCD screen. The Pyramid can also play Musicards in the card slot on the left side of the console and play Videocards as well, although it required the dongle in order to play Videocards. The Pyramid is the first game console to gain access to the web with the customized version of the Star Web browser built-in the console. It also has a built-in AM/FM radio receiver. The Pyramid's firmware is based on TS-UGOS. As a result, it can play TS-UGOS games (though a dongle was required to play CD-based TS-UGOS games for versions older than TS-UGOS 6). The tiled interface that was used in the home BIOS is caled “Pyramid UI”, and later used as the inspiration for Matrix UI. The system was backwards-compatiable with the, Theorysonic Sphere Box and Theorysonic Chaos (the same dongle required to play older TS-UGOS games also allowed the system to play Codear CD games).

Theorysonic Pyradesk
Theorysonic Pyradesk is a unproduced two-in-one TheoryDesk and Theorysonic Pyramid which Theorysonic planned to release alongside the Pyramid in January 2000 with the retail price of $650. Theorysonic cancelled the Pyradesk in November 1999, citing fears that it would become the commercial flop like the VRBuddy due to its power issues and it would dilute their marketing for TheoryDesk VM.

Theorysonic Pyramid MC
Theorysonic released the Pyramid MC in November 2002 in North America and Aritonazca, a version of the Pyramid that runs on the modified TVOS operating system that, in addition to gaming, internet and multimedia, added DVD-HD and VCD playback compatability, a built-in TV tuner (which could be hooked up to an antenna or a cable/satellite system so users could watch television shows), and a built-in DVR (so users could record television shows). It also boasted the ability to play Videocards without the need for a dongle. It retailed for $503 in the United States.

Decline
The Pyramid was initially a success when it was released in El Kadsre in January 4, 2000 due to its then-advanced graphics and multimedia and internet capabilities. But when PlayStation 2 was released in the country two months later, it was a instant success due to PlayStation 2 being cheaper than the Theorysonic Pyramid and the fact that the PlayStation was very popular in El Kadsre, overtaking the Pyramid in terms of sales less than two months after release. The PS2 sold roughly ten times more than the Pyramid.

The PS2 craze made it virtually impossible for the Pyramid to outsell PlayStation 2 as well as the Xbox and Nintendo Gamecube. The Pyramid's decline has also something to do with Theorysonic being more focused at making Portosic devices as well as TheoryDesk and TheoryBook devices.

While the Pyramid was sold well in the El Kadsreian, American and Australian markets, it received poor sales in Japanese and European markets due to competition with other game consoles.

In 2006, Theorysonic announced the Pyramid would be discontinued due to lackluster sales, instead of focusing on work for the Theorysonic Viva, Portosic, TheoryPhone, and TheoryTablet devices and TS-UGOS computers for gaming. The another factor is with competition from Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo and losing over EK$10 billion on sales of Sphere Box and Chaos, Theorysonic was unable to take a monetary risk to continue producing Pyramid consoles and games. The console was finally discontinued on July 30, 2008.

Game Library
The Theorysonic Pyramid has over 400+ games.

Reception
While the Pyramid sold well in the El Kadsreian, Ccerish, American and Australian markets, it received poor sales in Japanese and European markets due to competition with other game consoles.

Over 17 million units sold worldwide during its lifespan.