A handheld game console fully engineered by an AI — Claude "Fable 5"
Game Five is an experiment in end-to-end AI hardware development. The entire product is designed by Fable 5 (Anthropic's Claude), directed through natural-language conversation by its human co-designers:
| Deliverable | Developed by Fable 5 | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Schematic design | Component selection (all JLCPCB in-stock parts), netlist, power tree, GPIO budgeting via 74HC165 | 🏭 1st prototype in fabrication |
| PCB layout | 120 × 85 mm 2-layer board — placement, autorouting, GND pours, ~325 stitching vias, DRC clean, fab outputs | 🏭 1st prototype in fabrication |
| Enclosure | Two-piece 3D-printable case, generated parametrically through the Fusion 360 API | 🚧 In development |
| Game software | Game framework + games for ESP32-S3 (display, input, sound drivers) | 🚧 In development |
The AI operated the EDA tool (EasyEDA Pro) and the CAD tool (Autodesk Fusion 360) programmatically through their APIs — placing parts, wiring nets, routing, running DRC, exporting Gerbers, and solid-modeling the case — while humans reviewed each iteration and steered the design ("make the D-pad symmetric", "move the display up", "the flat cable folds here").
The hardware itself: a Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32-S3 driving a 2.0-inch HS20HS072RX TFT (ST7789, 240×320, SPI), with GameBoy-style controls and I2S audio.
- MCU: Seeed XIAO ESP32-S3 (Wi-Fi / BLE, USB-C, built-in LiPo charger)
- Display: HS20HS072RX 2.0" TFT, 240×320, ST7789, 4-wire SPI (LCSC C5329582)
- Controls: D-pad + A/B buttons (Panasonic EVQQ1D06M round-plunger tactile switches) + SELECT/START (compact tactile switches)
- Audio: MAX98357A I2S amplifier + 8 Ω speaker (JST PH2.0 connector)
- Power: LiPo battery (JST PH2.0) wired directly to the XIAO BAT± pads — charging is handled by the XIAO's onboard charger
- Button matrix via 74HC165: the XIAO exposes only 11 GPIOs, so the 8 buttons are read through a 74HC165 shift register sharing the SPI bus (LCD + buttons + I2S audio + backlight PWM all fit)
- PCB: 120 × 85 mm, 2-layer, ground pours on both sides tied together with ~325 stitching vias, DRC clean
- FPC notch: a 26 mm wide notch in the top board edge — the display's flat cable folds back at the module edge, passes through the notch, and plugs into the FPC connector (J3) on the back side
- Enclosure: two-piece 3D-printed case (bottom tray + top lid) with a cross-shaped D-pad cutout and a raised clear window island over the display
| Path | Contents |
|---|---|
fab/GameFive_Gerber.zip |
Gerber files for fabrication (JLCPCB, 2-layer) |
fab/GameFive_BOM.xlsx |
Bill of materials with LCSC part numbers (for JLCPCB PCBA) |
fab/GameFive_PickAndPlace.xlsx |
Pick-and-place data |
case/GameFive_Case_Bottom.stl |
Enclosure bottom tray (3D printing) |
case/GameFive_Case_Top.stl |
Enclosure top lid (clear material recommended) |
case/GameFive_Case_Assembly.step |
Enclosure assembly STEP model |
case/case_rebuild_fusion360.py |
Fusion 360 API script that regenerates the case parametrically |
easyeda/GameFive.epro |
EasyEDA Pro project file (full schematic + PCB source) — open via File → Open in EasyEDA Pro |
images/ |
Board renders |
Game firmware will be added under firmware/ as development progresses.
| XIAO pin | GPIO | Function |
|---|---|---|
| D0 | GPIO1 | LCD CS |
| D1 | GPIO2 | LCD DC (RS) |
| D2 | GPIO3 | LCD RST |
| D3 | GPIO4 | 74HC165 LATCH (SH/LD#) |
| D4 | GPIO5 | Backlight PWM (SI2302 low-side switch) |
| D5 | GPIO6 | I2S BCLK (MAX98357A) |
| D6 | GPIO43 | I2S LRCLK |
| D7 | GPIO44 | I2S DIN |
| D8 | GPIO7 | SPI SCK (shared by LCD and 74HC165) |
| D9 | GPIO8 | SPI MISO (74HC165 QH) |
| D10 | GPIO9 | SPI MOSI (LCD SDA) |
74HC165 inputs: A=UP, B=DOWN, C=LEFT, D=RIGHT, E=A, F=B, G=START, H=SELECT (10 kΩ pull-ups, active-low).
- The LCD flat cable folds back at the top edge of the module, passes through the 26 mm notch in the top board edge, and inserts into J3 on the back side (XKB X05A20L12T, 12-pin 0.5 mm bottom-contact flip connector).
- Because the fold mirrors the cable, J3 is wired in reverse pin order (J3 pin n = LCD pin 13 − n).
- The silkscreen frame (51.8 × 36.2 mm) on the front marks the display mounting position.
- The display itself (C5329582) is not included in the BOM — order it separately.
- Upload
fab/GameFive_Gerber.zip(2-layer, 1.6 mm, any color). - For PCBA, upload
GameFive_BOM.xlsxandGameFive_PickAndPlace.xlsx. - U1 (XIAO ESP32-S3) is permanently out of stock at JLC — either consign the part or mark it DNP and hand-solder it.
- J1 (battery connector, through-hole) is not supported by Economic PCBA — use Standard PCBA or hand-solder.
- Order the display HS20HS072RX (C5329582), a LiPo battery, and an 8 Ω speaker separately.
- 3D-print the case STLs (clear resin/filament recommended for the top lid). The case is fastened with four M2.5 screws.
This project is licensed under the CERN Open Hardware Licence Version 2 – Permissive (CERN-OHL-P-2.0). See LICENSE for the full text.
- Schematic, PCB layout, enclosure, and game software: Fable 5 (Claude, Anthropic)
- Co-designed and directed by Akira & Tom