UPDATE: It’s been officially confirmed that pre-orders for the Retroid Pocket 6 will re-open on November 2 at 9 PM EST!
Will there ever be a day when Retroid doesn’t run into some type of issue or have to deal with backlash for a new release? That’s exactly what happened, yet again, with the Retroid Pocket 6 as the community rallied to influence a design change. Gone are the buttons that were found below the display, and instead, we have a handheld that looks somewhere in between a Retroid Pocket 5/Pocket G2 and AYN Odin 3.
Not only that, but Retroid is making another change to the design, and I actually think this one is for the better. Along with asking the community for feedback on the overall design, Retroid also asked about layout preferences for the Left Stick and D-pad.
While 63% of the vote (on Discord) was in favor of the Left Stick being on the top, Retroid is letting you decide the layout when the time comes to order the Pocket 6. As noted in the Retroid Discord, “For the first time, we will offer the option to choose if you’d like the d-pad, or the left stick on top.”
As for what’s next, well, some who pre-ordered the Retroid Pocket 6 as soon as it was made available have started receiving refunds. However, that doesn’t appear to be the case for everyone just yet, but Chris over on the Retroid server says “Customers that have already pre-ordered the RP6, will receive an email from customer service in the coming days.”
And while there is a banner on the Retroid site showing off the previous Pocket 6 design, the corresponding landing page has been pulled. Meanwhile, a banner message across the top of the site says “RP6 redesign in progress, coming back soon!” We suspect it won’t be long before we can pre-order the “new” RP6, and we’ll be sure to let everyone know when the time comes.
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.
I actually like the new design. I wish they would have kept it.
Pretty much pre-ordered at minute 1 without complaints and now the fuzz is getting me a better version to choice from – amazing!
Wtf you mean because we can’t have nice things? They improved the design and are giving customers what they want you midwit. I hope for your sake AI wrote your article.
About 1/3 people preferred the old design- a minority. It a substantial one made up of hundreds of people. In a decent society the man would be entitled to his opinion and to express it without being targeted by such vitriol from online randos.
*a minority but a substantial one. iPhone’s autocorrect is on one today.
i iked the first design i think retroid should chose them selfs if people dont like the look the dont have to buy it
Metroid did choose… They chose to redesign to make more money, if you don’t like it you don’t have to buy it.
“We can’t have nice things” then in the second paragraph they actually praise the change.
sybau🥀
Asymmetrical sticks looks absolutely atrocious on it.
This is stupid. It looks like a rp5
You mean you now get both ways, stop click bait shit retard
1. Nope. Chin buttons are gone. Headline makes complete sense given events. Not clickbait. You are incorrect.
2. This response… really?! You can choose to be better.
Chin buttons are a gimmick. We got both d-pads on top and bottom. Very bad title choice. I don’t agree with the words op used.
I am so, so thankful that they kept the option of symmetrical analog sticks. I’ve kept my collection to cheaper Linux devices because PS2 is THE console I want to play when I get a high end device, and so far all the options with uncompromised PS2 performance had the left stick in the wrong place for PS2. The RP6 looked to finally be the ticket for the one device I’ve been looking for and I was worried that they were gonna take it away.
They should have kept the original design as a 3rd option for ppl who were ok with it, since two design choices.
Title says we can’t have nice things, while retroid gave us the option for analog placement.
Also they redesigned so we can have nice things.
Those buttons in the front are a bit antiquated and may be a point of failure for the device itself.
“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.”
― John Lydgate
I wish they’d have a 6 button option like Genesis and TurboGrafix-16 for the front right side…
I wish the old design was used in another new handheld from retroid
Now the only thing distinguishing the devices i the APU inside…pretty poor choice imo, but I’m just gonna grab an Ayn Thor since that is something new and a game changer