It’s not the Christmas gift that you wanted, most likely, but the crowdfunded handheld ZX Spectrum that was due to be in backers’ hands already, has finally been given an estimated shipping date, following months of delays.
The retro-inspired handheld was due to ship by September originally, but as is often the case with crowdfunded projects, hit some delays due to decisions to change some aspects of the hardware. In an update on Indiegogo, Retro Computers said that unexpected delays caused by minor design revisions, including a correction in the design of one of the buttons to make it more robust, had thrown it further off-course than previously predicted.
“This change has caused a brief delay and we are truly sorry about that, but we needed this time to improve the product and we have now completed the necessary revisions and we are delighted to announce that we will ship the first units in February 2017,” Suzanne Martin, Managing Director of Retro Computers said.
The crowdfunding campaign raised nearly £500,000 in March to bring the updated version of the ZX Vega to market. While the ongoing delays mean that the arrival has now slipped into next year, we’re thinking the 1,000 preloaded games will help distract you from that disappointment when the units do finally start to ship.
Just don’t go expecting 4K graphics if you plug it into your shiny new TV.
Related: ZX Spectrum Vega review
Watch: PlayStation VR: Everything you need to know
Did you back the ZX Vega+ campaign? Will you try and buy one once they launch? Let us know in the comments below!
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.