RetroArch announced in February 2021 its plans for 2022. This popular community that you will know from the retro game emulators, now also has its sights set on open hardware projects, a sector that is flourishing lately, especially after the arrival of RISC-V, and that seems quite promising.
The idea that RetroArch has is not only to offer the software as before, but also offer physical hardware products with their emulators for users. In this way, there would be a platform in which RetroArch is perfectly integrated and with the possibility of serving as a retro console and allowing you to connect cartridges from old consoles to play (that is, not only with ROMs).
In addition, so it would prevent fans of the classics from having to buy proprietary solutions on the market (original consoles) hard to find and sometimes expensive because they are almost museum pieces. However, these RetroArch plans have changed, as revealed in a blog post.
RetroArch's change of direction is in the direction of not only offering this hardware open to DIY enthusiasts or makers, but also being partnering with a hardware manufacturer to release it commercially, and allow many other users to obtain it as well. Something that could make the new hardware platform more popular.
Another thing that is known about this free hardware project is that it will be more modular, with a base unit to which several additional modules can be connected. Each for different old consoles. However, the initial launch indicates that it would be compatible with the Nintendo 64.
It is also known that plans are going well, with production scheduled for mid-2022, for its release at the end of the year (as long as they don't run into supply problems given the state of the industry right now).
And I end by commenting that the RetroArch team has asked those interested to comment on a survey to get feedback.
To participate in the RetroArch survey – Enter here