2026's most eagerly-anticipated retro gaming handhelds have been delayed until next year, but for good reason
Blaze has opted to delay its clamshell retro gaming handhelds instead of releasing inferior products
by Rik Henderson · T3
Share this article
0
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter
Quick Summary
Blaze has been forced to delay its forthcoming retro gaming clamshells to next year after admitting production quality has so far not been up to scratch.
The Spectrum and The C64 Handhelds will now release on 22 April 2027.
Like most retro gaming fans, I was looking forward to getting my hands on Blaze's first clamshell devices – The Spectrum Handheld and The C64 Handheld. Both were due on 15 October, so my excitement was ramping up.
However, the company has announced that both have been delayed to next spring, and for good reason. It didn't want to release inferior products.
"During production, we identified areas where the product construction was not meeting our high standards," said Blaze in an official statement.
Latest Videos FromT3
Watch full video here:
"While we could address some issues quickly and release the products in 2026, we believe taking this additional time is the right decision to give you the best experience possible."
This includes standard and collector's edition versions of both devices. They will now release on 22 April 2027.
Does this affect my pre-order?
Some retailers, such as Amazon UK, are still listing the handhelds for pre-order for their original 15 October release date, but we expect that to change soon. You'll need to contact the retailer if you want to cancel your order.
Personally, I'm happy to wait a bit longer. I'd much rather have a better device than one rushed through the production process – flaws and all. And especially so when it comes to The C64 and The Spectrum Handhelds.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
First announced in May, each retro gaming handheld comes preinstalled with a collection of 25 classic games specific to their original 80s system. For The Spectrum Handheld, that includes Manic Miner (of course), Head Over Heels, and Skool Daze.
The C64 Handheld sports a selection including Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe, Paradroid, and Nebulus.
You can also add your own ZX Spectrum and C64 games respectively through each device's microSD card slot. Even the buttons on the lower half of each clamshell are designed around original hardware, while at the top you get a 4:3, 4.3-inch IPS display that's protected when closed.
Each is priced at £109.99 in the UK, $129.99 in the US. The Collector's Editions, which include a travel case and exclusive copy of Crash or Zzap!64 magazines, now seem to have sold out.
Sadly, The Spectrum Handheld and The C64 Handheld are not the first retro gaming consoles to have been delayed in recent times. We also learned recently that the NeoGeo AES+ has also been put back – to next September in this case.
"We didn't have a choice," said manufacturer and distributor, Plaion Replai.