Severance’s iconic retro mechanical keyboard gets faithful replica on Kickstarter, smashes goal early

Fans of the psychological thriller show Severance can now own an IRL version of the strikingly retro-looking keyboard used by the Macrodata Refinement (MDR) team on the severed floor. This is not a themed cosmetic makeover of an existing product. The team at Atomic Keyboard have built a truly accurate reproduction from the ground up, complete with the integrated trackball, seemingly with premium materials and high workmanship. 

The case (or rather, base) is a solid 22 x 9 inch, CNC-machined aluminium slab with a steel top panel. That results in a weight of 7 kg or 15.4 lb (yes, you read that right) but, somehow that doesn't even sound so wrong in the retro-futuristic Severance universe. Keycaps are dye-sub PBT, and the switches will be MX-compatible, with the exact variant type to be made selectable after the campaign ends.

The steel top panel attaches magnetically and can be quickly swapped to allow for three key layouts. The most screen-accurate is the 'Innie' layout, which has a 50 mm trackball and a very basic 60% key layout that famously lacks the Escape, Option and Control keys (an easter egg in the show that grimly reflects the characters' predicament). The 'Outie' is the more practical and complete layout, also with the trackball. The third one, the Dasher layout, replicates the Data General Dasher from the 70's, from which the show's designers actually took inspiration.

The PCB is designed in a way that you just have to add the required switches and keycaps when swapping the top panel. There's also a web-based layout configurator that unlocks more functionality. You can find the full specs here on the Kickstarter page.

All this will come for a price as shockingly hefty as the keyboard itself: $899 for the full set, which includes panels, switches and keycaps all three layouts. However, backers can pay a still-considerable $699 for it until September 18. The barebones kit gives you just the case and 2 panels, and is currently available for $449.

Delivery of the device will begin in January 2026. Of course, if you're just looking for some desktop nostalgia without breaking the bank, check out the 8BitDo Retro 108 Mechanical Keyboard and the Kensington Expert Trackball. Or, if you feel like doing work that's mysterious and important, you can play this Macrodata Refinement online game from the Atomic team.