Update [Tue 21st Nov, 2023 10:20 GMT]: Polymega pre-orders finally appear to be shipping out to customers in larger numbers than was previously the case.
We've just had an email this morning which says a unit we pre-ordered back in 2022:
We are preparing to ship your order, and to ensure accurate delivery and prevent any additional delays, we request that you take a moment to review your shipping address to ensure your information is up to date. If your information is correct, you do not need to do anything. If any changes are necessary, please email us as soon as possible at [email protected], and our customer support team will be happy to assist you with updating your delivery address. We plan to begin shipping orders in December, so please do not delay.
While you have the ability to update your delivery address once logged in to your account on our website, the address in your actual order will NOT be updated unless you email us with your name, valid confirmation number and the required change. Thanks for your attention and patience, and we can't wait to deliver your long-awaited gear!
Other customers who have pre-ordered a unit are getting the same email:
It would seem that all of these orders will be shipping with the new-look Polymega controller, too.
Original Story [Thu 26th Oct, 2023 11:45 BST]: All outstanding pre-orders for the all-in-one retro gaming system Polymega will be shipped to customers this year, claims manufacturer Playmaji.
Originally announced in 2017, the system has had a particularly troubled route to market. Pre-orders opened in 2018, and we were lucky enough to have been sent a review unit in 2020, but since then, shipments have barely trickled through to customers – at one point, Playmaji admitted that production numbers got as low as 50 units a month.
Political turmoil in Myanmar, where units are being assembled, didn't help, and the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down distribution and impacted Playmaji's ability to source components.
We get a lot of emails from concerned customers who still have no idea when their Polymega system is likely to arrive, and, upon contacting Playmaji for a statement, we have been told:
"We are on track to fulfil all the remaining pre-orders this year."
Playmaji adds that it's still on course to release its N64 Element Module for the Polymega, which will allow users to play the likes of Super Mario 64, GoldenEye 007 and Mario Kart 64 on their machines. However, the Polymega light gun, which is based on the Sinden Light Gun, still doesn't appear to have a solid release window.
The company recently outlined its plans for the Polymega app, which will allow users to leverage their retro collections across a wide range of platforms via the Polymega XL subscription service. It also announced the Polymega Remix, a cut-down version of the base system which connects to your PC and will retail for $149.
On top of all this, Playmaji has also announced a "strategic collaboration" with Atari which will see the pair work together on "innovative retro hardware and software initiatives."