Analogue 3D Faces Yet Another Delay

People who love old video games have been eagerly waiting for Analogue's next big release: the Analogue 3D, a high-end Nintendo 64 machine powered by FPGAs that is meant to bring back the classics in perfect condition. But the wait that was promised to be short has turned into a long, drawn-out story.

The company has announced yet another delay, this time moving the start to a "conservative Quarter 4". This is at least the third (and maybe even the fourth) time the system hasn't come out when it was supposed to. When Analogue started taking pre-orders in October of last year, they quickly sold out.

They did this because they knew people would trust them to make good systems like the Analogue Pocket and Super Nt. Customers didn't think twice about paying up front because they trusted the company and couldn't wait for a current, faithful way to play the Nintendo 64 library. The release date changed several times: first, it was set for Q1, then Q2, then August, and now it's been pushed back again.

This stings because of the lack of transparency as well as the elusive release date. Analogue hasn't shown the public a single second of gaming footage, even though they have thousands of pre-orders from almost a year ago. In their most recent statement, they talk about finishing "the final 1%", but they don't say much about what's stopping the product. People who bought early don't believe this final touch is a good reason after months of changing dates.

We don't all want a rushed product, but no one wants a rushed niche piece of hardware like this one, where accuracy and build quality are important. It's a good idea to ship it when it's ready. But things look different when the company has already taken money from people and not shown proof that the system actually works. Fans are worried because the company isn't being honest, and some are wondering if the Analogue 3D is in more trouble than they are admitting.

There is a lot of anger among fans and parents who wanted the system so they could play old games like Super Mario 64 or Ocarina of Time with their children. They're stuck in limbo because there is no clear schedule and no sign that the product is even close to being ready to ship.

Analogue has a good history with gear, but you can't always trust them. Every second that goes by without contact hurts the company's reputation, which it had built up with earlier consoles. Customers should at least be able to play a test of the 3D to make sure it is as real and useful as claimed. The Analogue 3D is still more of a myth than a fact until then, and its conservative Q4 release date doesn't give me much hope.