WAVES is a product-service combination that completely rethinks the console gaming experience. In the near future, gamers don’t have to buy an expensive game console. They simply choose a subscription that provides a game console tailored to their needs. The three subscriptions are PLAY (casual gamer), CORE (core gamer) and FRONTIER (heavy core gamer). Due to its modularity, the gamer can receive upgrades based on their desired gaming experience and performance need. Because the performance need of gamers cascades gradually, the manufacturer can efficiently reuse and remanufacture parts throughout different gamer-segments. One wave of parts that serves multiple users throughout its lifecycle. Finally, at the end of each lifecycle, the manufacturer can recycle the parts and close the ecological loop. 

WAVES is based on user research on the desired user experience of gamers. The insights of the research acted as a guide for existing (circular) product design and business strategies. The outcome is a powerful case study of how the Circular Economy can enhance the user experience when driven by a user-centered approach.

The modular WAVES game console is a great example of a circular product design - we think it showcases the future of product development. Designers like Telmen take responsibility for a product’s “afterlife”, and develop business models and associated product concepts that have a useful and economically profitable second and third life. Telmen’s contribution is that he didn’t only focus on material flows and business models, but he gave the user centre stage; developing an attractive concept and value proposition for the future gamer.