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Polymega
The Polymega is a home video game console developed by American company Playmaji, Inc. It is a retro gaming console offering backwards compatibility with several CD-based and cartridge-based platforms: PlayStation, TurboGrafx-CD, Neo Geo CD, Sega CD, Sega Saturn, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Sega Genesis, Sega 32X, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), and Nintendo 64. It includes a built-in DVD drive, while separate add-ons known as Element Modules provide support for cartridge-based games.
It was announced as the RetroBlox in 2017 and faced numerous delays before being released in September 2021.
The console was announced in January 2017 as the RetroBlox. It would be produced by RetroBlox, Inc, a Los Angeles-based company founded by Bryan Bernal and Eric Christensen, both former employees at Insomniac Games. Bernal was inspired to create the console after taking a trip to Japan in 2015. There, he purchased numerous PC Engine games, but was disappointed in the number of console modifications needed to make them run on a modern HD television. He sought to create a modernized console capable of playing such games without the need for modifications. The console was initially set to release in early 2018, although it faced several delays.
In May 2017, the console was renamed Polymega, while RetroBlox, Inc would become Playmaji, Inc. Development on the console continued quietly over the next year, before it was shown at E3 2018. Playmaji started taking pre-orders in September 2018, but the console's official website went off-line for several days following high traffic and a DDoS attack.
The hardware design phase was finished in early 2019, although the console's release was expected to be impacted by a supply shortage of 14nm chips. A public beta test phase began in early 2020, and the console's full release would be further delayed to November 2020, due to third-party production issues; an overseas partner, responsible for manufacturing printed circuit boards used in the console, closed in mid-2020. The release was delayed again after communication issues arose with Wal-Mart following a personnel change. As a result, Playmaji canceled pre-orders made through Wal-Mart's website and urged buyers to purchase the console through the Polymega website instead, with the release delayed to February 2021 for those who preordered in 2018 and 2019.
The consoles were assembled in Myanmar, where protests took place during 2021, causing another delay in the Polymega's release. The COVID-19 pandemic was also a factor for the delay. The console was eventually released worldwide on September 12, 2021, fulfilling pre-orders made prior to May 2020. Some units arrived in Japan a day early. The console retails for $450, while Element Modules – plug-ins which support cartridge games – retail for $80.
In February 2023, Playmaji announced plans to eventually launch the Polymega App, a free application allowing users to play their saved games on a personal computer. The company also plans to launch a paid subscription service known as Polymega XL, offering additional features for the Polymega App such as cheat codes and cloud access to game libraries. Because modern computers often lack a disc drive, Playmaji intends to release the Polymega Remix, an external disc drive powered by USB that also offers cartridge support.
In July 2023, Playmaji announced a partnership with Atari, which became a minority investor. The deal would help Playmaji with its backlog of Polymega pre-orders; those dating to 2021 were expected to be shipped by the end of 2023. Also under the partnership, the Polymega App and Remix will be compatible with the modern Atari VCS console.
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Polymega
The Polymega is a home video game console developed by American company Playmaji, Inc. It is a retro gaming console offering backwards compatibility with several CD-based and cartridge-based platforms: PlayStation, TurboGrafx-CD, Neo Geo CD, Sega CD, Sega Saturn, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Sega Genesis, Sega 32X, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), and Nintendo 64. It includes a built-in DVD drive, while separate add-ons known as Element Modules provide support for cartridge-based games.
It was announced as the RetroBlox in 2017 and faced numerous delays before being released in September 2021.
The console was announced in January 2017 as the RetroBlox. It would be produced by RetroBlox, Inc, a Los Angeles-based company founded by Bryan Bernal and Eric Christensen, both former employees at Insomniac Games. Bernal was inspired to create the console after taking a trip to Japan in 2015. There, he purchased numerous PC Engine games, but was disappointed in the number of console modifications needed to make them run on a modern HD television. He sought to create a modernized console capable of playing such games without the need for modifications. The console was initially set to release in early 2018, although it faced several delays.
In May 2017, the console was renamed Polymega, while RetroBlox, Inc would become Playmaji, Inc. Development on the console continued quietly over the next year, before it was shown at E3 2018. Playmaji started taking pre-orders in September 2018, but the console's official website went off-line for several days following high traffic and a DDoS attack.
The hardware design phase was finished in early 2019, although the console's release was expected to be impacted by a supply shortage of 14nm chips. A public beta test phase began in early 2020, and the console's full release would be further delayed to November 2020, due to third-party production issues; an overseas partner, responsible for manufacturing printed circuit boards used in the console, closed in mid-2020. The release was delayed again after communication issues arose with Wal-Mart following a personnel change. As a result, Playmaji canceled pre-orders made through Wal-Mart's website and urged buyers to purchase the console through the Polymega website instead, with the release delayed to February 2021 for those who preordered in 2018 and 2019.
The consoles were assembled in Myanmar, where protests took place during 2021, causing another delay in the Polymega's release. The COVID-19 pandemic was also a factor for the delay. The console was eventually released worldwide on September 12, 2021, fulfilling pre-orders made prior to May 2020. Some units arrived in Japan a day early. The console retails for $450, while Element Modules – plug-ins which support cartridge games – retail for $80.
In February 2023, Playmaji announced plans to eventually launch the Polymega App, a free application allowing users to play their saved games on a personal computer. The company also plans to launch a paid subscription service known as Polymega XL, offering additional features for the Polymega App such as cheat codes and cloud access to game libraries. Because modern computers often lack a disc drive, Playmaji intends to release the Polymega Remix, an external disc drive powered by USB that also offers cartridge support.
In July 2023, Playmaji announced a partnership with Atari, which became a minority investor. The deal would help Playmaji with its backlog of Polymega pre-orders; those dating to 2021 were expected to be shipped by the end of 2023. Also under the partnership, the Polymega App and Remix will be compatible with the modern Atari VCS console.