Last Updated on May 21, 2022
First there was the handheld. Then came Evercade VS and a new line of arcade games.
Then nothing.
What is next for Evercade? Sure, we’ve got a free monthly preview of an upcoming collection of indie games, but the cartridge announcements so far, by and large, have been pedestrian.
It is almost as if Blaze Entertainment’s Evercade has lost its momentum when faced with Playdates and A500 Minis and Egret II Minis and oh so many other systems with bankable game libraries.
Disagree? Many others do not. The Evercade Fans Hub – a private book group – has recently discussed the question “Have people lost interest in Evercade?”
Responses cover everything from poor marketing of impressive games (e.g. Xeno Crisis, the Sensible Software collection) to price rises, poor licensing, and filler games making promising carts seem a bit mixed.
Comments include:
“This year has been a bit of an empty void at the start of the year”
“I think they have lost momentum with their releases. The new carts don’t excite me as much as some of the older ones.”
“…the physical release thing isn’t the huge draw Blaze thought it was going to be with so many indie games now getting beautiful collectors editions. ”
“Not played my Evercade for months and VS hasn’t been powered up for sometime.”
As the owner of two Evercade handhelds and a Founder Edition VS, I can completely sympathize with these views. Cartridge delays have not helped, and while the monthly previews of the December cartridge are fun, they lack punch. In a world with hundreds of thousands of classic video games, it seems strange that arcade titles are so limited, and other titles are restricted to mixed releases. In some cases, not even the best games from specific developer teams are included.
There is also the very real possibility that – particularly in the UK – the ease with which the A500 Mini makes playing Amiga games has stolen attention away from Evercade.
Another comment:
“I think ideally it would be helpful to get a very honest and open Q&A from Blaze and what’s worked, what’s coming..”
But then again, perhaps the Evercade tram is simply playing its cards close to its collective chest…
Roll Up, Roll Up! Get ready for the EVERCADE 2ND ANNIVERSARY SHOW! Find out about the Next Cartidges, see some of our Greatest Hits and some VERY BIG NEWS!
Find your ticket below and tune in on May 31st on our YouTube Channel! (https://t.co/59rjFLhCxP). pic.twitter.com/J02NiSzU5c
— Evercade (@evercaderetro) May 20, 2022
A big announcement? We’ll let you know as soon as we do…
Gaming since 1984, retro gaming since 2004. Contributes to Linux Format magazine, TechRadar.com, and other publications.
