Retro Games announces new Amiga replica in original size and reveals reason for delay
Retro Games Ltd. has already launched several miniature replicas or original-sized well-known computer systems, such as the C64 Mini, the Vic20 Mini, the C64 Maxi, the Atari 400 Mini or the A500, a miniature of the Amiga 500. The latter's gameplay was slightly dampened by the lack of a real keyboard, which is why the company decided to follow up with an A500 Maxi, similar to the C64 Maxi or the ZX Spectrum. It was supposed to be released last year, but fans have been waiting in vain thus far.
Why the A500 Maxi is coming later or not at all
The company has now explained on its Facebook page that the release of the A500 Maxi is being delayed due to legal disputes. It reads:
As everyone knows, it has long been our intention to release a full-size sequel to THE A500 mini in Q1 of 2025. Despite the best efforts of our team and partners, this will sadly not be possible within that timeline.
Unfortunately, the ongoing legal disputes between Hyperion Entertainment and the Amiga parties are preventing us from proceeding with manufacturing. Many of you in ‘The Amiga scene’ will recall that Hyperion initiated legal action against the Amiga parties in 2018, and in 2019 they even tried, unsuccessfully, to challenge the release of THE A500 Mini, despite such interference being a "Hyperion Prohibited Action" under their 2009 Settlement Agreement.
Our friends at Amiga and Cloanto, who have supported us throughout the development of THEC64, THEVIC20, and THE A500 mini, have been working tirelessly to resolve the issue as swiftly as possible. However, our manufacturing and retail partners have chosen to postpone the release of our full-sized machine until the legal situation is fully resolved. We appreciate the disappointment and frustration that these delays cause, but unfortunately the situation is completely beyond our control.
Despite the delays, Retro Games has also confirmed that they are still working on a full size successor to the A500, but it looks like it will no longer be an Amiga 500, but rather an Amiga 1200 model, which, as you may have already guessed, will be called the A1200. Whether the A500 will be replaced by this model or whether both will be launched onto the market is not clearly stated. Retro Games Ltd. intends to announce further details on features, software and a release date in the near future. Hence, fans of the Amiga can still look forward to an authentic replica that gives them the opportunity to relive their favorite classics on a modern screen.
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