For as much as we joke around about how many devices Anbernic releases every year, at least they are actually being released. It’s a far cry from what AYANEO keeps doing, where it will announce a device, wait for funding to be fulfilled, ship domestically, and then drag their feet on global orders.
Many of us in the space, reviewers and otherwise, are frankly tired of the game that is constantly being played. It’s something that we’ve been harping on via the podcast in recent months, and Zu even made a whole dedicated video on this very topic.
Much to our surprise, AYANEO indirectly responded to Zu’s video. In its response, AYANEO attempted to provide an explanation as to why someone can buy a KONKR Pocket FIT or AYANEO Pocket AIR Mini from third-party retailers and receive it before those who backed the project.
Of the three reasons provided, we’ve really only come across two of them, with “Unauthorized Resale Activities (Commonly Known as “Scalpers”)” and “Limited Fulfillment to Authorized Distributors.” And to our surprise, this is where AYANEO is laying the blame as to why the Pocket FIT can be purchased outside of the IGG campaign or directly.
The company also covered the supposed “Delivery Status of Key Products.” Notably, with the Pocket Air Mini, AYANEO claims the following:
- “Indiegogo orders have essentially been fully fulfilled.”
- “Only around 180 Backers remain unshipped due to missing or unconfirmed shipping addresses.”
Pivoting back to the Pocket FIT, AYANEO claims that “1,193 units of the G3 Gen 3 version have been delivered,” and “the remaining 493 units of the G3 Gen 3 version will be completed within January.”
AYANEO Announcements Over the Past Year
That being said, this is only part of the bigger story. Let’s take a look at everything that AYANEO announced in 2025:
- Pocket VERT
- Next II
- Pocket S2
- Pocket S2 Pro
- Pocket AIR Mini
- Retro Mini PC AM01S
- AM03
- KONKR Pocket FIT
- Pocket DS
- Flip 1S DS
- Flip 1S KB
- Pocket Play
- AYANEO Gaming Pad
- KONKR Fit
- AYANEO CODE R
- AYANEO Pocket ACE
- AYANEO Pocket Micro Classic
- AYANEO 3
Technically, the AYANEO 3 was announced in 2024, but wasn’t released until January 2025. Regardless, that’s still almost TWENTY devices that have just been announced over the past 12 months.
Current Status of Announced Devices
Let’s take a look at the same list again, but this time, with the current availability status:
- Pocket VERT
- Indiegogo Campaign Began on December 27, 2025.
- Next II
- Indiegogo Campaign Preview page was created, but is not live yet.
- Pocket S2
- Announced in March 2025.
- IGG Pre-launch commences in late May.
- Constant delays results AYANEO to offer Pocket AIR Mini as “consolation” gift.
- IGG orders still not fulfilled.
- Only one model currently available for purchase (8GB/128GB Obsidian Black)
- Pocket S2 Pro
- Surprise announcement alongside Pocket S2.
- Just three configurations are currently available:
- 16GB/512GB Obsidian Black
- 16GB/1TB Obsidian Black
- 16GB/1TB B.Duck
- Pocket AIR Mini
- “Indiegogo orders have essentially been fully fulfilled.”
- Beginning to appear at third-party retailers, such as AKNES.
- Retro Mini PC AM01S
- Announced in March 2025. Only recently became available on AYANEO’s website.
- AM03
- Teased in October. No further details provided.
- KONKR Pocket FIT
- Announced in July 2025.
- IGG Campaign funded on September 2025.
- Shipping commenced “middle of December.” Claims “some SKUs have already completed Indiegogo fulfillment.”
- Meanwhile, Pocket FIT can be purchased from Best Buy via “Authorized Reseller.”
- Zero mention of the Snapdragon 8 Elite variant and can no longer be backed or pre-ordered.
- Pocket DS
- Announced in July 2025 during Strategy Sharing Sessions.
- Pre-orders via Indiegogo open in mid August.
- Expected to initially arrive in October 2025.
- Doesn’t begin arriving until late November/early December.
- Initially claims Retro Gray shells will be restocked in December. Then its pushed to early January, now it’s just “January.”
- Flip 1S DS / Flip 1S KB
- Announced in early June 2025.
- IGG Campaign launches in July 2025.
- Shipping status update provided in late December.
- AYANEO blames supply issues for both variants.
- AI 370 model is “moving forward with production and shipping.”
- 8870U: “Supplier is unable to fulfill deliveries at this stage or in the foreseeable future.”
- Offers Free exchange with AYANEO 3 for 8840U backers, “Paid upgrade” to the AI 370 model, or “Paid exchange for AI 370 AYANEO 3.”
- Claims deliveries of all remaining AI 370 Flip 1S units will be completed “before the start of the Chinese New Year holiday.
- Offers $50 AYANEO official store coupon for “all backers whose orders are still unshipped.”
- Pocket Play
- Announced, no official Kickstarter or IGG campaign yet.
- AYANEO Pocket ACE
- Announced in March 2025.
- Released in late April 2025.
- Gradually became more readily available.
- AYANEO Gaming Pad
- Announced alongside Pocket S2 and appearances made on some livestreams. No mention of a potential release date or if the project has been scrapped.
- KONKR Fit
- Announced alongside Pocket S2. No mention of a potential release date or if the project has been scrapped.
- AYANEO CODE R
- Announced alongside Pocket S2. No mention of a potential release date or if the project has been scrapped.
- AYANEO Pocket Micro Classic
- Announced in March 2025. Released shortly thereafter via AYANEO’s online storefront and not through KS or IGG.
- AYANEO 3
- Announced in late 2024. Begins shipping early 2025. Seemingly easily accessible now.
AYANEO Needs to Take Accountability
To its credit, some of the issues that AYANEO is facing are things that are completely out of its control, such as chip shortages and rising component prices. However, there are some instances, such as the Pocket S2, where it’s been since July and people are still without their devices.
Some might think that AYANEO would take its foot off the gas and focus on fulfilling pre-orders before firing up another crowd-funding campaign. For whatever reason, that just isn’t happening, and the company has been playing with fire long enough that it’s finally starting to feel the burn.
What’s Next?
Frankly, we don’t know. It was surprising to see AYANEO respond in any capacity, besides the onslaught of copy/paste comment replies on the various campaign pages. If you’re fed up with waiting, or don’t trust that whatever device you ordered will ever actually show up, you’ll have to reach out to AYANEO Support to cancel your “pledge” and get a refund.
Sadly, it seems that unless something drastic changes, this is just going to be what AYANEO is known for. Which is a real shame given that, at least most of the time, when it releases a new device, it’s honestly one of the best in the space. And I think that’s why many of us who have been doing this for awhile are so frustrated and disappointed.
What did you think of this article? Let us know in the comments below, and chat with us in our Discord!
This page may contain affiliate links, by purchasing something through a link, Retro Handhelds may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you.




This is saddening, I really wanted the Konkr Pocket Fit. I ended up canceling my Pre-order on IGG some months back. Ayaneo needs to get their shit straight.
Aya really needs to get their pricing sorted out. $269 ($339 after the IGG campaign) is ridiculous when I can just buy an RP Classic with similar specs for half the price.
And THIS is exactly why I think myself and many others aren’t as excited about the AYANEO Pocket Play as we otherwise would be. For a brand that prides itself on being the “luxury retro handheld” company, this is completely unacceptable. Imagine if Gucci or Lamborghini or Burberry or whoever else did this. You can’t charge what Ayaneo charges and do this kind of nonsense, especially when competitors like AYN and Retroid don’t have this issue. People need to stop buying from them until they can get it together.
Probably fine to buy from them once their products are in stock… I would just would never pre-order from this company again.
As someone who pre-ordered the Air Mini and KONKR both pretty late in their campaigns, I’ll say I’m pleasantly surprised with the Air Mini (it got here in their shipping window mid-December), and extremely disappointed with the KONKR (still hasn’t shipped despite ordering before the Air Mini lol).
At least it doesn’t seem like the company is prioritizing 3rd party resellers. Best Buy’s KONKR ran out of stock quickly which lends weight to Ayaneo’s claim that they only had 20. And a quick glance at Ali Express shows KONKR prices marked up over $100 from MSRP. That’s a scalper markup, not a reseller markup.
only 180 backers are waiting becuse of unfortunate issues!? thats a strait up lie form ayenoo right there. at this point ive given up on this brand, there are plenty of componeys with equal valueconsoles that are not only slightly cheaper but much much more reliable.
This isn’t accurate- these exact statement said the 180 undelivered units are “ due to missing or unconfirmed shipping addresses.” Seems plausible given how people make mistakes.
Unless you know of some evidence we’re missing some evidence that proves otherwise?
what i meant was the number of 180 was a lie
I cancelled my Kronkr order after they shipped about 20 units in the first week. Went and just preordered an RP6, since at least Retroid ships their damn things.
Ayaneo is a very shady company. I’m still waiting on my retro grey Pocket DS. Ordered late august and still nothing. Mailed them twice to make inquiries and always gave me a bullshit answer. I have to look for updates on discord or the igg page from other users instead hearing from ayaneo themselfs. I’m not cancelling my order because it has already taken this long but you can quote me on this: first and last time ever!
I love my Pocket S2 pro it’s a top end device and it feels it in every way.
Unfortunately it really starts to take The shine off when you are stuck in an endless wate period and every time they are asked about delivery they are constantly just outright lying, and all the time we keep seeing new campaigns pop up and they are asking for more money.
To be fair my free Pocket fit is in the post as compensation so that is good but it is not required as I have my S2 i also ordered a Ayn Thor just after launch and that arrived in three weeks one day after my S2 I now find the S2 hasn’t really had a chance to shine as thr Thor is so good.
I feel this would really make me consider before ordering anything from Ayaneo again wich is a shame because the consoles are realy very good.
I ordered a retro grey pocket DS in the beggining of september.
First Ayaneo device, already knew about all the shortcomings associated with them, but the device appealed to me (slightly better ergos and bigger screens, I know , i’m getting old too).
The rest is the same as many others have already claimed:
. Lack of comunication.
. Underwhelming and probably overworked support staff, can’t keep up.
. Official Discord is basically an echo chamber for the usual “whataboutism’s”, like Ayn is worse, or anbernic always delays too, even bringing back the Loki drama… In 2025… It’s to be expected but i feel should be stated too as many people get there and are imposed the feeling that it’s normal to have this kind of treatment after loaning a company a large sum of money.
. Quality control seems all over the place and a lot of problems seem to resurface every batch that gets to backers/customers.
. Third party resellers having stock ahead of early backers.
It’s really distastefull after having owned a lot of handhelds from all the spectrums, from the Odin 2 , to the rp5, around the G cloud and the rg477m, hell even the powkiddy x55 and rg35xx…
You spend this kind of money and the experience is the worse out of all of them…
By now I’m just considering getting my refund, but this actually took it’s toll.
I just want to play games, not worrying and grieving about this stuff.
Thank you RH team for your stand against this practices!
Zu, Stubbs and everyone.
Andrew i feel you’re pain bro.