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History of video games/Platforms/Polymega

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History

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Announcement

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The RetroBlox console was announced around February 2017, attracting attention from gaming media outlets due to its use of a modular design.[1] On May 30th 2017, RetroBlox was renamed Polymega.[2]

In September of 2018 preorders for the system were opened.[3]

Manufacturing took place in Myanmar following an agreement with Highway Holdings Limited.[4] This was disrupted by ongoing events there in 2021.[5]

In 2019 the Libretro project announced a CD streaming support project, making a purported reference to the Polymega in their announcement when doing so.[6]

Launch

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The Polymega was launched on September 12th, 2021.[7] Reviewers generally gave the system a positive reception, noting some slight issues at launch.[8][9]

In late November 2021 a Nintendo 64 expansion module was announced.[10][11]

Technology

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Compute

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The compute capabilities of the Polymega were moderate at the time of release, being comparable to an entry level personal computer of the time. This provided enough power to easily emulate most fifth generation home console games. This fact, when coupled with a publicly stated intent not to provide support for sixth generation consoles,[12] made the otherwise modest capabilities of the system more than adequate for task it was given.

A 2 core Intel Coffee Lake Series S G4900T clocked at 2.9 gigahertz is used as the CPU of the Polymega.[7][13] This chip also provides Intel UHD Graphics 610.[13][14] An earlier interview indicated a 3.2 gigahertz CPU clockspeed.[15]

2 gigabytes of DDR4 are used for the RAM of the console.[14]

Hardware

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The system has a modular design.[16] This modularity is a defining feature of the console, and one that set it apart from similar retro game consoles at the time of release.

Optical Drives in 2021

While game consoles have a long history with optical media, by 2021 all major consoles had either eliminated it entirely as Nintendo did with the Switch, or made using optical media optional as Sony and Microsoft did with the PS5 and Series consoles.

Retro consoles of the time typically omitted optical drives for a number of potential reasons:

  • It was an extra expense.
  • It added technical complexity.
  • They weren't aimed at compatibility with optical-media based consoles.
  • Moving parts could increase failure rates.
  • End users were assumed to be able to rip their own games at a computer.

It is for these reasons that the inclusion of an optical drive is a standout feature on the Polymega. The inclusion of the drive did offer a key advantage - the ability to play optical media directly on the console, with no ripping or technical know how required of the user.

Another distinct feature for a retro focused console was the inclusion of an optical disk drive for compatibility with optical media based consoles.[1]

The system supported a number of conventional controllers, as well as a light gun that worked with flat screen television sets.[17][18] This was a significant feature, as traditional light guns were often only compatible with CRT displays, and incompatible with the LCD panels which were commonplace by 2021.

Software

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The Polymega uses a Linux based operating system.[7] Playmaji claimed their configuration of Linux would offer superior results compared to traditional Linux distributions.[15][19] A proprietary UI, dubbed "Codename Richter" is used.[14] Richter is a possible reference to Richter Belmont of the Castlevania series, as an official post concerning system update preview 1.1.0 included a picture of Richter in the post header.[20]

References

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  1. ↑ a b Gach, Ethan (2-11-17). "The RetroBlox Wants To Be A Virtual Console For All Of Your Old Games" (in en-us). Kotaku. https://kotaku.com/the-retroblox-wants-to-be-a-virtual-console-for-all-of-1792260937. 
  2. ↑ Peeples, Jeremy (30 May 2017). "Retroblox Becomes Polymega Console - Hardcore Gamer". https://hardcoregamer.com/news/retroblox-becomes-polymega-console/259068/. 
  3. ↑ McFerran, Damien (13 September 2021). "Polymega Units Are Finally Arriving In The Hands Of Customers". Nintendo Life. https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/09/polymega_units_are_finally_arriving_in_the_hands_of_customers. 
  4. ↑ "Highway Holdings Announces Manufacturing Order for Video Gaming Consoles" (in en). www.businesswire.com. 15 October 2020. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201015005294/en/Highway-Holdings-Announces-Manufacturing-Order-for-Video-Gaming-Consoles. 
  5. ↑ McFerran, Damien (2 August 2021). "After Months Of Silence, Polymega Insists Pre-Orders Are Shipping Soon". Nintendo Life. https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/08/after_months_of_silence_polymega_insists_pre-orders_are_shipping_soon. 
  6. ↑ Commend, Ray (2 July 2019). "Libretro Goes After Polymega with RetroArch Disc Project and Run Ahead Modes". RetroRGB. https://www.retrorgb.com/libretro-goes-after-polymega-with-retroarch-disc-project-and-run-ahead-modes.html. 
  7. ↑ a b c Grant, Christopher (3 September 2021). "The Polymega is an all-in-one retro console worth your attention" (in en). Polygon. https://www.polygon.com/2021/9/3/22653297/polymega-review-retro-game-console-emulation. 
  8. ↑ "Playmaji Polymega Review" (in en). PCMAG. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/playmaji-polymega. 
  9. ↑ McFerran, Damien (7 September 2021). "Hardware Review: Polymega Is The Ultimate All-In-One Retro Machine". Nintendo Life. https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/09/hardware_review_polymega_is_the_ultimate_all-in-one_retro_machine. 
  10. ↑ McFerran, Damien (24 November 2021). "Exclusive: Polymega's Next Module Brings Nintendo 64 Support". Nintendo Life. https://www.nintendolife.com/features/exclusive-polymegas-next-module-brings-nintendo-64-support. 
  11. ↑ Maison, Jordan (25 November 2021). "Polymega Console Adds N64 Support Early Next Year". Cinelinx | Movies. Games. Geek Culture.. https://www.cinelinx.com/news/polymega-console-adds-n64-support-early-next-year/. 
  12. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions". Polymega. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  13. ↑ a b "Is This The Ultimate All In One Retro Emulation Console? Polymega First Look". Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  14. ↑ a b c "Frequently Asked Questions". Polymega. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  15. ↑ a b McFerran, Damien (25 September 2018). "Exclusive: Polymega Creator Playmaji On FPGA, Sega Saturn And Dealing With 'Healthy' Scepticism". Nintendo Life. https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/09/exclusive_polymega_creator_playmaji_on_fpga_sega_saturn_and_dealing_with_healthy_scepticism. 
  16. ↑ "RetroBlox modular gaming console can run old cartridges, CDs". SlashGear. 3 February 2017. https://www.slashgear.com/retroblox-modular-gaming-console-can-run-old-cartridges-cds-03473697/. 
  17. ↑ "These Retro Gaming Consoles Deliver a Dose of Nostalgia". Wired (Condé Nast). 25 June 2021. https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-retro-gaming-consoles/. 
  18. ↑ "Light Gun Controller Announced for Polymega Console - Niche Gamer". nichegamer.com. 7 June 2019. https://nichegamer.com/light-gun-controller-announced-for-polymega-console/. 
  19. ↑ Note: This sort of claim is commonly made by console manufacturers using Linux as a basis for their console operating systems.
  20. ↑ "System Update 1.1.0 Preview" (in en). Polymega. https://polymega.com/blogs/system-software-updates/system-update-v1-1-preview. 
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