Analogue, the company behind popular aftermarket gaming hardware such as the Super NT and Mega SG, has unfortunately hit a roadblock to distribution of the portable Analogue Pocket system. Those who pre-ordered may have to wait several months before the system is shipped out.
The Analogue Pocket is a system designed like a sleek, modern Game Boy. It uses FPGA hardware to achieve as close to perfect compatibility with original cartridges as possible and has a wide range of adapters available to play games from other systems on it.
Initially it was thought that the ship stuck in the Suez Canal was to blame, but an official statement released on the Analogue support website reveals that the real cause is more in-depth. The Ever Given may still have some involvement, but the current major holdup is new COVID-19 restrictions on assembly partners involved in construction of the system. The companies cannot deliver on the initial deals, so the device will not ship for general consumers as scheduled, instead with shipments beginning as late as December.
While the delays may be frustrating for customers, they are ultimately for the best. COVID-19 continues to be a global threat and restrictions being put in place, while irritating, are ultimately for the benefit of everyone. The devices will still be shipped eventually, and much worse delays happen in the industry on a regular basis. December is only a few months off and Analogue plans to restock the Pocket as soon as the holiday season ends.
Aftermarket hardware is becoming increasingly common as older systems begin to deteriorate with age; from scratches to screen rot, there are many issues that can negatively affect the experience of playing handheld games on original hardware. Official solutions exist to play some parts of classic game libraries on modern devices, but solutions such as Nintendo Switch Online's classic collections are often limited by licensing and cannot play the original cartridges due to a lack of hardware compatibility. Many aftermarket devices rely on emulation or legally questionably hardware cloning, while Analogue devices use FPGA technology to create hardware compatible with the original cartridges that can then output to modern displays without a convertor.
The Analogue Pocket has been delayed before due to component shortages, but now that the units are in manufacturing further delays seem unlikely. While it is possible that more COVID restrictions prevent shipping in the future, with the manufacturing run as close to complete as it is, buyers can probably expect the units to arrive as currently promised.
Source: Analogue