C64 and ZX Spectrum Handhelds Delayed to April 2027

Retro Games Ltd and Blaze's clamshell C64 and ZX Spectrum handhelds have been delayed six months to April 22, 2027, due to production quality issues. The Evercade Nexus remains unaffected.

Were you hoping to play Chucky Egg on the train this October? Bad news: the upcoming clamshell C64 and ZX Spectrum handhelds have been delayed by six months. Originally set to launch on October 15, 2026, they'll now arrive on April 22, 2027. That's a long wait for '80s microcomputer fans.

The delay comes from Retro Games Ltd and Blaze, the folks behind Evercade and Super Pocket. In a statement on Blaze's HyperMegaTech website, the company explained that during production, they found areas where the product construction wasn't meeting their high standards. While they could have fixed some issues quickly and released in 2026, they decided to take extra time to ensure the best experience possible. The delay applies to both standard and collector's editions.

Blaze acknowledges the news is disappointing and thanks players for their patience and continued support. It's a bummer, especially with so many retro projects already hit by component shortages and AI data centre disruptions. But at least they're prioritizing quality over rushing out a half-baked product.

If you're itching for a retro fix, don't worry—there are other options. The Evercade Nexus, Blaze's upcoming flagship retro handheld, is unaffected by this delay. That makes sense since the quality issues are specific to the Retro Games Ltd collaboration. So if you want a new handheld from Blaze, the Nexus is still on track.

For those who can't wait, you can always grab a C64 Mini or The Spectrum for some quick HDMI gaming. The Spectrum is a bit pricey at $154 in the US, while the tiny C64 Black Edition breadbin is $59.98—though the original C64 Mini is currently out of stock at Amazon. And if you're a true enthusiast, you probably already have a real C64 or ZX Spectrum set up at your desk.

If you're after hardware perfection, consider FPGA-based options like the Commodore 64 Ultimate or ZX Spectrum Next, which replicate the original innards. Or, for something from the original Sinclair lineage, check out the Gamercard—a Raspberry Pi portable by Grant Sinclair, nephew of the late ZX Spectrum creator Clive Sinclair. It runs everything from Quake to PICO-8 fantasy console games.

So, the wait for these clamshell handhelds just got longer. Will you hold out until April 2027, or will you scratch that retro itch with something else? Let us know in the comments!