C64 and ZX Spectrum handhelds delayed to 2027
Retro Games Ltd and Blaze push the clamshell handhelds back six months over quality concerns, with a new date of April 22, 2027.
Two retro handhelds built around the Commodore 64 and the ZX Spectrum have slipped by six months. The clamshell devices, a collaboration between Retro Games Ltd and Blaze, were due on October 15, 2026, but will now arrive on April 22, 2027. The change applies to both standard and collector's editions. In a statement, the company said production had revealed areas where the product construction was not meeting its standards, and that while some problems could have been fixed in time for a 2026 release, taking extra time was the better decision for players.
The news lands during a broader stretch of hardware disruption driven by component costs and demand from AI data centres, though Blaze tied the decision specifically to quality rather than supply. The company said its upcoming flagship retro handheld, the Evercade Nexus, is unaffected. For anyone wanting to play classic microcomputer games on the move, there are still alternatives, including the existing C64 Mini and The Spectrum, both of which connect over HDMI. Fans can also turn to FPGA-based machines such as the Commodore 64 Ultimate or the ZX Spectrum Next for a more faithful experience.
Tags
- hardware
- release-date
Sources
Where this story ran: one outlet on 29 September 2026. The summary above is written by GamersGuild; the links go to the original reports.