Nowadays, if you enjoy modern, cartridge-based handheld gaming, Evercade is really your only choice. However, that might not be the case for too much longer, as a rumor recently surfaced suggesting that SEGA might end up doing something similar.
According to u/SeraphHS on Reddit (via Time Extension), “a company that’s done licensed Sega hardware before” is looking into launching a new retro handheld. The handheld and its compatible cartridges are said to offer the following:
Handheld
- Low-power ARM processor, not x86
- 5″ OLED panel (same form factor as the Vita), aggressive cost cutting elsewhere to accommodate this
- Seemingly pretty limited internal storage
- Removable game cartridges
- No mention of 3D acceleration beyond basic UI/compositing
- References being designed for “modern 2D titles” and “pixel art presentation”
Cartridges
- Not the usual high capacity consumer NAND you’d expect of a modern handheld
- Looks like low capacity industrial eMMC modules – these are readily available and not caught up in the AI memory price inflation
- Smaller storage, makes sense if the target games are 2D Indies etc.
SeraphHS ends the post mentioning that it might “less like a retro emulation handheld and more like a dedicated 2D platform with physical media.”
Sure sounds like an Evercade-like handheld to me.
Even with Evercade handhelds available and expanding availability, those are still focused on offering licensed retro games from the old days. However, from the way that things sound based on the original Reddit post, there’s potentially a unique opportunity.
SEGA, or whoever the actual company is to release this, could take this opportunity to partner with third-party developers and release cartridge-based Indie games. Titles that immediately come to mind are Ratcheteer DX, Apotris, and Good Boy Galaxy, but there are so many more out there that could benefit.
For instance, over at itch.io, the “New 8-Bit All-Stars Bundle” is comprised of 30 different NES and Famicom from the community. Some of the developers of those games also sell standalone cartridges, and that’s where I think this handheld could really capitalize. Of course, it would also be beneficial to have at least a few of SEGA’s best games on cartridges bundled together, or available as a separate purchase.
Sadly, I don’t think the odds are that great for this SEGA handheld to come to fruition. The Reddit post itself is tagged with “Grain of Salt,” and even if it gets the green light, it might not be until sometime next year before actually being announced or released. But I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed, regardless.
