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Atari continues its major comeback and is now setting its sights on the big screen. The legendary company has signed a deal with Universal Pictures, in partnership with production company Entertainment 360, to develop film adaptations based on ten of its most iconic franchises.

Ten games to adapt, no less

The agreement covers the adaptation rights for: Asteroids, Adventure, Berzerk, Breakout, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Millipede, Missile Command, Pong, and Yars' Revenge.

Universal has already secured the first project to emerge from the partnership: an original screenplay written by Matt Reilly (former Warner executive) and Carl Hampe (Hellboy, Chuck, Point Break), who will also serve as producers alongside Guymon Casady of Entertainment 360.

The studio has not revealed which game will be adapted first, nor whether it intends to build an "Atari Cinematic Universe" connecting several of these franchises, following the trend popularized by Marvel and potentially embraced by the Mario franchise as well.

Riding the pop culture wave

Atari CEO Wade Rosen told Deadline that the company's more than fifty-year history has allowed its brand to remain part of popular culture long after the original releases of its games. He said he is excited to collaborate with Universal and Entertainment 360 to bring that spirit to a new medium.

A familiar gamble

This isn't the first time Hollywood has looked to Atari's catalog. Film projects based on Missile Command and Centipede were announced back in 2016, while an Asteroids movie was already in development at Universal in 2009. None of those projects ever made it to the big screen.

Whether this latest attempt will finally succeed remains to be seen, especially at a time when video game adaptations are enjoying growing success, with recent hits such as The Super Mario Bros. Movie and the Sonic film series.

What has changed this time is the context. Over the past few years, Atari has taken several positive steps, including the acquisitions of Nightdive Studios and Digital Eclipse, the release of a new game by Jeff Minter, and a renewed focus on highlighting its extensive retro catalog. The company has also moved away from its previous ventures into cryptocurrency, lending greater credibility to this new cinematic initiative.

Sources: Deadline, Engadget, PC Gamer, Shacknews

Enjoying the Recalbox team's work? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

We're happy to announce that Recalbox 10.1-patron-1 is now available, in early access for our Patrons. This version brings an impressive number of new features, some very visible, others more technical, but all of which genuinely change your day-to-day experience.

A new logo view

In every system, you can now switch to Logo View, which displays the official game logos instead of the classic text list. The result is clean and immersive, especially on virtual systems. Scraping will be needed to take advantage of this, and several logo types are available so you can match the theme you're using as closely as possible.

The Jukebox

A highly anticipated feature, the Jukebox now lets Patrons (who benefit from exclusive playlists for the Recalbox menus) listen to and manage their Patron playlists directly from the Recalbox interface: deleting playlists or individual tracks, skipping a song, going back to the start, and so on. This feature remains exclusive to Patron supporters since it's dedicated to these exclusive playlists.

GunCon 2: improved accuracy and compatibility

GunCon 2 shooting accuracy has been considerably improved, now reaching a 99% accuracy rate. We've also added 31kHz compatibility, in addition to the already-supported 15kHz. Whether you're on a CRT or a 31kHz setup, the GunCon 2 now works under near-perfect conditions.

A built-in map and manual reader

From the Start menu, positioned on a game, you can now access its manual, its maps when available, and tips & tricks directly. Everything is accessible via the Recalbox menu or via the media folder of your roms, where your scraped files are stored. Scraping the relevant system is still required to use this feature.

Redesigned controller configuration

The controller configuration interface has been completely reworked: clearer, faster, and more intuitive. You choose your controller from a dedicated menu, then get guided step by step, a real improvement especially for arcade sticks.

On the virtual keyboard side, two new models are making their debut: a full keyboard and a "mobile" keyboard, alongside the classic wheel that already existed.

We've also added virtual systems by genre (fighting, racing, platformer...), handy for rediscovering your romsets from a new angle, as well as virtual systems dedicated to spinners and trackballs, making it easy to find all games compatible with these specific peripherals.

Direct copy to an external drive

It's now possible to copy Recalbox directly to an external drive from your current installation, without having to go through a full install. A real simplification for those who want a clean setup similar to their existing configuration.

New emulated systems

The catalog of emulated systems keeps growing with the arrival of new systems, including the Philips P2000T, Vircon32, and the Exelvision EXL100. Other systems have also joined the list, always with the goal of covering as many machines as possible under the best conditions. You'll find all the newly added systems along with the full release notes via this link: Release Notes 10.1-patron-1

A full video presenting the new features is freely available on Patreon.

Thank you

As always, this version arrives in early access for Patrons before its rollout in stable version for everyone. If you're a Patron, all you need is for your Recalbox to be connected and set to the Patron update channel, and the update will be offered to you. A huge thank you to the Patrons on the alpha update channel, who allowed us to thoroughly test all these new features. Without their help, we couldn't roll out new versions so quickly. And a huge thank you to the Patrons who support the project and get to enjoy this fully-loaded 10.1.

For any feedback, bugs to report, or simply to chat with the community, we invite you to join us on Discord, and as a reminder, the Patron-dedicated channels are open to chat with the Recalbox team.

Thank you all for your continued support, it's thanks to you that all of this is possible. The Recalbox team.

Do you appreciate the work of the Recalbox team? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

This is a story of friendship that began a few years ago now. During the RGB JAMMA crowdfunding campaign, we were contacted by the Nationaal Videogame Museum in the Netherlands, which backed the campaign to equip their JAMMA cabinets. A few weeks ago, the museum came back to us through the Recalbox JVS funding campaign to order around ten boards. This support for Recalbox's projects has naturally built a bond, around a shared passion you probably won't have too much trouble guessing… gaming and retrogaming!

"We believe games should be experienced, not just displayed behind glass."

Having the museum choose Recalbox hardware is a true honor, because we're talking about a real museum, recognized and now an institution in its own right. Its preservation mission is top-notch: the museum doesn't just display hardware behind glass, it makes it accessible, playable, and educational.

Sharing this passion, bringing back our old memories as gamers, introducing new generations to what gaming used to be: so many similarities brought us together for an interview with Hasan Tasdemir, aka Psykick, the museum's director, to talk about the museum, gaming, and preservation. Let's get into it!

Hasan Tasdemir aka Psykick @Paco-van-Leeuwen-Photography

Hello Hasan, first of all thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us. Let's start simple: could you please give our readers a brief introduction to the museum, the way you'd present it to friends at a party?

I'd tell them: imagine a place where you don't just look at video game history. You actually play it. That's really what makes us different. The National Videogame Museum is a place where video game history comes alive. Visitors can experience the evolution of gaming, from the earliest arcade machines and home computers to modern consoles and virtual reality. We believe games should be experienced, not just displayed behind glass.

For me, gaming has always been about experiences and memories. I grew up with the earliest home consoles, but it was the arcade that truly captured my imagination. The atmosphere, the competition, the sounds and the cabinets themselves all left a lasting impression on me. That passion never disappeared, and today I have the privilege of sharing it with everyone who walks through our doors.

Whether you're 8 or 80, chances are you'll find something that reminds you why games became such an important part of our culture.

Just to give us an idea, how many machines do you have in the museum (consoles and arcade cabinets)? And could you tell us whether, beyond the museum aspect, there's also an educational side? An associative one?

We have several hundred playable machines in the museum, including arcade cabinets, consoles, handhelds and home computers. The collection continues to grow every year, and not everything we own is on display at once. But we're much more than an exhibition.

@Caroline_de_Winter

Education is one of our core missions. We explain how games evolved technologically, artistically and culturally. Schools regularly visit us, and we use games to talk about programming, game design, storytelling and digital creativity. There's also a strong community aspect. Collectors, volunteers, technicians, artists and enthusiasts all contribute. The museum exists because people are passionate about preserving this history together.

How does someone go from being a collector in their garage to running a nationally renowned museum like yours?

I think it starts with curiosity.

Like many collectors, I simply didn't want important pieces of gaming history to disappear. One machine became ten, ten became fifty, and eventually you realize you're preserving something much bigger than a personal collection.

For me, that curiosity was driven by a lifelong passion for games, especially arcade games. I've experienced the evolution of gaming from the earliest home consoles to the golden age of the arcade. At some point you stop thinking only about collecting machines and start thinking about preserving memories and sharing those experiences with others.

"My biggest responsibility isn't adding another cabinet to the collection. It's making sure future generations can experience why these machines mattered."

The transition from collector to museum director isn't really about owning more machines. It's about shifting your mindset. Instead of asking, "What do I want to collect?", you start asking, "How can I share this history with everyone?"

Today, my biggest responsibility isn't adding another cabinet to the collection. It's making sure future generations can experience why these machines mattered.

How do you restore and maintain the machines?

With a lot of patience! Arcade hardware was built to survive busy arcades, but after thirty or forty years almost every component will eventually need attention.

"A museum like ours is almost like running a hospital for arcade machines."

We restore cabinets as authentically as possible. That means repairing original CRT monitors, rebuilding power supplies, replacing worn controls, repairing PCBs and sourcing original parts whenever we can. Preventive maintenance is just as important. Every machine is played every day by hundreds of visitors, so we're constantly inspecting, cleaning and repairing. A museum like ours is almost like running a hospital for arcade machines.

Speaking of maintenance and restoration, let's talk about Recalbox's next piece of hardware, the JVS. You're among the backers, having ordered around ten JVS units. What place does the JVS standard hold in your collection?

JVS represents an important chapter in arcade history. As manufacturers moved beyond JAMMA, JVS became the standard for a new generation of arcade hardware from companies like Sega, Namco and Taito. Those systems are still incredibly popular with visitors, but maintaining them isn't always straightforward.

That's why projects like Recalbox JVS are so exciting. They don't replace original hardware. They help keep original hardware alive. For a museum, reliability matters enormously. If a machine is down, visitors lose the opportunity to experience it. We're happy to support solutions developed by people who genuinely understand preservation.

You also took part in the RGB JAMMA funding campaign. Can you tell us how you first came across Recalbox, and how this collaboration began?

We first discovered Recalbox through the retro gaming community, and more specifically through a close friend who has been instrumental in our journey from the very beginning. He was also one of the people involved in founding the National Videogame Museum and played a key role in the community that came before it: NeTaXe.

"Recalbox develops solutions that respect original hardware and genuinely support preservation, which aligns perfectly with our own mission."

What impressed us wasn't just the products themselves, but the philosophy behind them. Recalbox develops solutions that respect original hardware and genuinely support preservation, which aligns perfectly with our own mission.

The RGB JAMMA project immediately caught our attention because it addressed real challenges that museums, collectors and arcade enthusiasts face every day. Collaborating with people who share the same passion for preserving video game history felt like a very natural step.

How do you see the state of video game preservation in Europe today? There's more and more talk about dematerialization and the loss of original hardware. What's your take on that?

I think awareness has improved tremendously over the last decade. People increasingly recognize that video games deserve the same preservation efforts as films, books or music. At the same time, digital distribution creates new challenges. Physical media disappears. Online services shut down. Games depend on servers that may no longer exist in ten years. That's exactly why preserving original hardware remains so important.

Emulation is an essential tool, but it's not the entire story. The controllers, the CRT displays, the cabinet artwork and the physical experience all form part of our gaming heritage. Ideally, preservation means keeping both the software and the original context alive.

Right around the time of this interview, we learned that Sony will be ending physical media support for PlayStation in 2028. Would you like to comment on this news?

It's understandable from a business perspective. Digital distribution is cheaper, more efficient and reflects how many people already buy their games today.

"Physical games aren't just storage media. They're historical artifacts."

But as someone responsible for preserving gaming history, I also see the other side. Physical games aren't just storage media. They're historical artifacts. The box, the manual, the artwork and even the disc itself tell part of the story. Digital games absolutely deserve preservation too, but they often depend on servers, licenses and online ecosystems that may not exist forever.

That's why museums and preservation initiatives will only become more important in the years ahead. If physical media gradually disappears, we have an even greater responsibility to ensure that future generations can still experience where gaming came from.

At the museum, how do you go about attracting new visitors and winning over younger players? How do you make a sometimes niche passion more mainstream?

The nice thing is that games already speak a universal language. Young visitors may not know Pac-Man or Space Invaders, but once they play them, they immediately understand why they're classics.

We also avoid presenting gaming history as something dusty or nostalgic. Instead, we tell a story. You can literally walk through decades of innovation and discover how one generation of games inspired the next. Families are particularly important to us. It's wonderful when grandparents, parents and children all end up playing together. Suddenly gaming history becomes something shared instead of something old.

@Caroline_de_Winter

The museum is going through a major transformation, including a recent move. Could you tell us more about this project and about the museum's future?

The move represents an exciting new chapter for us. Whenever a museum relocates, it's an opportunity to rethink everything: the visitor experience, the exhibitions, accessibility and the way we tell our story.

Our ambition isn't simply to become larger, but to become better. We want to preserve more games, create richer exhibitions, welcome more schools and strengthen our position as one of Europe's leading interactive museums dedicated to video game history. The mission stays exactly the same: preserving gaming heritage by letting people experience it firsthand.

Now for something more personal: what's your favorite machine? Let's say your favorite arcade cabinet and your favorite console?

That's always the hardest question!

Arcade gaming has always been my biggest passion. I grew up during the golden age of video games, so I was lucky enough to experience the earliest home consoles as well as the incredible atmosphere of the arcades. Both worlds shaped my love for gaming, but if I had to choose, the arcade will always have a special place in my heart.

My favorite arcade game is Virtua Striker 2. It's easy to pick up, incredibly competitive and brings people together in a way only great arcade games can. Every match creates excitement, whether you're playing against friends or complete strangers.

@Caroline_de_Winter

As for consoles, I'd have to choose the Sega Dreamcast. It perfectly bridged the gap between home and arcade gaming. It delivered arcade-quality experiences at home and introduced so many innovative ideas that were ahead of their time. For me, it represents one of the most exciting chapters in video game history. Of course, if you ask me tomorrow, I might give a different answer. That's the beauty of gaming.

To wrap up, if you had one request for digitalLumberjack (editor's note: Recalbox's founder) about a new piece of hardware, a new feature, or both, what would it be?

I would love to see more tools dedicated to preserving complex arcade hardware.

Systems such as Sega Hikaru, Chihiro and Triforce are becoming harder to maintain, yet they represent an essential part of arcade history. The same applies to large racing cabinets with force feedback, motion systems and specialized controls. These machines deliver experiences that cannot be replicated elsewhere, and keeping them operational is a significant challenge.

Preservation is not only about saving games. It is about ensuring that people can continue to experience them as they were originally intended.

Thank you for this interview, thank you for your collaboration with Recalbox, for believing in us and our projects, and above all, thank you for this museum, which proudly champions the preservation of video game heritage and inspires us every single day.

Thank you! That really means a lot. We're fortunate to be part of a community filled with passionate people who care deeply about preserving video game history. Projects like Recalbox prove that innovation and preservation can go hand in hand.

At the end of the day, we're all working toward the same goal: making sure the games that shaped generations continue to be playable, understandable and inspiring for generations to come. Thank you for helping keep that history alive.

There you have it! Thanks for reading this interview all the way through. There are those moments when you're playing alone in your living room, and there are those moments when you meet people like Psykick and his team, and you realize that when we talk about retrogaming, and when we practice it, we're far from alone in our living rooms — there's a whole community working quietly in the background to help us relive those moments.

If you'd like to learn more about the Nationaal Videogame Museum, head over to their website, and if you're ever passing through the Netherlands, you know what's left to do ;)

Thanks to Eric (NeTaXe), Hasan (Psykick) and digitalLumberjack for making this such an easy exchange.

Photo credits: Caroline_de_Winter, Nationaal Videogame Museum, Paco-van-Leeuwen-Photography

After five and a half years of solo development, Agent 64: Spies Never Die finally has a release date. Inspired by GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark, this retro FPS launches on PC via Steam on August 11, developed by a French indie creator.

A project started in 2022 by a single developer

First revealed during the 2022 PC Gaming Show, Agent 64 has taken its time to come together. Its creator, working under the name Replicant D6, described the five and a half years of development as exhausting in a Steam announcement. Multiplayer wasn't part of the original prototype: split-screen arrived in 2023, followed by online multiplayer in 2025. The game gradually evolved through successive additions, which partly explains its lengthy development cycle.

Agent 64: Spies Never Die on Steam

What the game has to offer

Players take on the role of John Walter, a secret agent tasked with stopping his arch-enemy Dominic Pulp across a 14-mission campaign playable solo, in two-player local co-op, or four-player online co-op. Missions can be tackled in any order and feature objectives ranging from hostage rescues and terminal hacking to document theft. Three difficulty levels add new objectives and areas to explore rather than simply increasing enemy health.

The dedicated multiplayer mode supports up to eight players and eight bots online, as well as up to four players in local split-screen—a feature that's becoming increasingly rare in modern FPS games. The classic player-versus-player battles that made GoldenEye on the Nintendo 64 legendary are back. A Paradox mode includes more than 70 unlockable modifiers inspired by classic '90s cheat codes, such as big heads, bullet slow motion, and melee-only disarming. It also serves as the game's progression system, unlocking maps, characters, and music tracks.

A very positive reception for the demo

Community feedback on the demo, available on Steam until August 9, has been overwhelmingly positive. Players have praised the faithful shooting mechanics, the absence of a jump button (just like GoldenEye 64), and the optional CRT filter. The game also runs well on the Steam Deck.

We can't wait!

For fans of GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark who still enjoy these classics—whether on Recalbox or original hardware—this looks like the perfect opportunity to relive those unforgettable couch multiplayer sessions while enjoying modernized gameplay. Console versions are planned after the PC launch, although no release date has been announced yet.

Sources: Time Extension, PC Gamer, GameDaily, Vertical Slice Games

To celebrate Metal Slug's 30th anniversary, SNK and Pix'n Love Games have unveiled their big announcement: a board game. The reveal came as a surprise to many fans, who were expecting something entirely different.

A marketing campaign built on mystery

At the beginning of July, Pix'n Love Games published a deliberately cryptic message, teasing an "explosive" announcement and inviting fans to get ready to head back into battle alongside Marco, Tarma, Fio, and Eri. With no further hints provided, the community's imagination quickly ran wild, with many hoping for a collection of the series' classic titles on modern platforms.

A board game instead of a retrogaming release

That wasn't the case. The announcement turned out to be the very first Metal Slug board game, developed by Pix'n Love Games in partnership with SNK. The project will be funded through Gamefound, where a pre-launch page is already available, although no campaign launch date has been announced yet.

The details shared so far remain fairly limited. The game will support 1 to 4 players, with sessions expected to last between 60 and 90 minutes. No gameplay footage, box contents, or pricing information has been revealed at this stage.

A community disappointed by the gap between expectations and reality

Across social media, many players expressed their frustration, criticizing Pix'n Love Games for building up expectations around what they ultimately considered an underwhelming announcement for the franchise's 30th anniversary. Many had been hoping for a playable game collection rather than a licensed board game.

This isn't the first time recent Metal Slug announcements have received a mixed reception. Metal Slug Rush, the mobile game inspired by Vampire Survivors, also faced heavy criticism following its reveal. It's also worth remembering that SNK announced a reboot of the franchise in April 2026, a project that continues to divide fans.

Sources: Time Extension, Retro News, Retro Dodo

Enjoying the work of the Recalbox team? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

A LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade set could soon become a reality, if the growing number of leaks from recent weeks is anything to go by.

An official tease followed by increasingly detailed leaks

It all began in late May, when Nintendo teased an upcoming LEGO Donkey Kong set through the Nintendo Today app without revealing any concrete details. Since then, several successive leaks have helped paint a clearer picture of the project. The first wave of information surfaced in late June via the a_claybrick and Brick Built Blogs accounts, suggesting a 1,367-piece set priced at around $200. On July 10, an image showing the front of the box appeared online, confirming that the model is indeed based on the original 1981 Donkey Kong arcade cabinet.

Nintendo's teaser, which first appeared online about a month ago. Image: Nintendo.

A faithful arcade cabinet that may actually be playable

According to the leaked information, the set faithfully recreates the look of the original arcade cabinet, featuring brick-built versions of Jumpman (who would later become Mario), Donkey Kong, and Lady, along with a display depicting the game's iconic girders-and-ladders stage. Several leaks also mention functional play features, including a lever that drops barrels and a joystick that lets Jumpman jump, similar to the mechanical functions found in previous LEGO sets such as the LEGO Pinball Machine.

For comparison, this set would sit below both the LEGO Pinball Machine ($229.99, 2,274 pieces) and the LEGO Pac-Man Arcade ($270, 2,651 pieces), making it a slightly more affordable addition to LEGO's growing lineup of arcade cabinet recreations.

Reportedly launching on August 1

According to multiple sources, the LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade set is expected to launch on August 1, 2026, with a retail price of $199.99. Neither LEGO nor Nintendo has officially announced the set yet, but the increasing number of detailed leaks suggests that an official reveal may not be far away.

Take it with a grain of salt

As with any leak, none of this information has been officially confirmed at the time of writing. However, the details have been reported by several well-known gaming and LEGO outlets, with multiple sources corroborating the same information, adding to its credibility. Still, the rumored price and the cabinet's playable mechanics should be treated as speculation until LEGO and Nintendo make an official announcement, which could happen in the coming days.

Sources: Nintendo Life, 9to5Toys, Dexerto, GoNintendo, Retro Dodo

Enjoying the Recalbox team's work? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

A new Recal'Talk is happening on Friday, July 24 at 9 PM, bringing together the Recalbox team and our Patrons for an evening dedicated to the latest project news.

WHAT IS RECAL'TALK?

Recal'Talk is a regular, Patron-exclusive event hosted on our Discord server. The idea is simple: spend an evening on a video call with part of the Recalbox team in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. During the first half of the event, several contributors present their work and the projects they're developing for Recalbox. The second half is dedicated to open discussion, giving everyone the opportunity to ask questions and chat directly with the team.

It's a unique opportunity for our supporters to get behind-the-scenes insights into the project, ask questions, and discuss everything happening around Recalbox—which promises to be particularly exciting for this summer edition.

VERSION UPDATE

As of today, Recalbox 10.1 is already available for testing through the Patron Alpha update channel with 10.1-patron-1-alpha-10.3. This release introduces so many new features that we could almost have called it Recalbox 11.

Meanwhile, the Patron Stable update channel is currently running version 10.0.8, the result of a major optimization effort, bringing significant performance improvements—especially on the Raspberry Pi 5 2 GB. The Public (non-Patron) update channel is also on version 10.0.8 for now. Recalbox 10.1 Patron Stable will be released very soon for our Patrons.

These optimizations also benefit other supported hardware (Pi 4, Pi 3, various cases, and more), making this a performance-focused summer release. Alpha users will notice overall improvements across most emulators, with particularly impressive gains for arcade enthusiasts running Naomi 2 and Model 3. A huge thank you goes to our latest hardware project, the Recalbox JVS, which allowed us to focus our work on demanding arcade systems where optimization was essential.

The GunCon 2 has also received major improvements, including optimized support and full compatibility with 31 kHz displays, once again thanks to the work carried out for the Recalbox JVS project.

A RELAXED SUMMER GET-TOGETHER

There's no rigid schedule or overly formal format for this edition. The goal is simply to enjoy an evening together in a relaxed summer atmosphere while talking about everything that's happening around Recalbox.

Recal'Talk remains an exclusive event reserved for our Patrons. If you'd like to join us and chat directly with the team, there's still time to become a Patron.

If you're already a Patron, simply head over to the Recal'Talk channel in the Patron section of our Discord server. You can also join directly using this link.

We can't wait to see you there!

While 10.0.8 focused on optimizing graphics memory—making the 2 GB Raspberry Pi 5 just as capable as the 4 GB model—that's not all it brings. Arcade and fighting game fans, in particular, are in for a treat. The Fightstick R10 Pro (as well as the R9) is now officially supported by Recalbox, with automatic configuration based on the game you're playing.

Compatibility designed for arcade gaming

The Fightstick R10 Pro, along with the R9 and its built-in spinner and trackball, joins the list of controllers officially supported by Recalbox. This support is aimed primarily at fans of fighting games and classic arcade titles, where a dedicated arcade stick makes all the difference in terms of precision and authentic gameplay.

Fully automatic configuration

No button mapping to tweak, no profiles to load manually: Recalbox automatically detects the stick and adjusts its configuration to match the game you're launching. It's exactly the plug-and-play experience we want to provide, letting you jump straight into the action without unnecessary setup.

Available now

This feature is included in the latest version of Recalbox (10.0.8). If you own a Fightstick R10 Pro or R9, simply plug it in and start playing—no additional configuration required.

A few more improvements for everyone

If you've already read the 10.0.8 release notes, none of this will come as a surprise. Still, here's a reminder of some of the other notable improvements included in this update:

• Added a check for available disk space before starting an update, with a pop-up warning.
• Fixed read/write performance on the SHARE (exFAT) partition.
• Fixed GPICase HDMI output and the default button mapping.
• Fixed a bug that caused an endless reboot loop with the default theme in Tate 4:3 HD mode.
• Fixed OLED display support for RGB JAMMA.
• Fixed reversed button 6 mapping on JAMMA 2.

If you'd like to dive deeper into everything included in this update, check out the full release notes.

Happy upgrading!

Enjoying the work of the Recalbox team? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

Image: Smallcab

After 20 games played with passion since 10 months, the very first season of the Recalbox One Credit Challenge has come to an end—and what a success it has been! A season filled with incredible performances, exciting game discoveries, impressive 1CC achievements, and above all, an amazing atmosphere shared by arcade enthusiasts.

As a reminder, this challenge brings the Recalbox community together around a new arcade game every two weeks. Players compete to post their highest score and earn points based on their ranking, which accumulate throughout the season. Clearing the game on a single credit (1CC) awards bonus points.

The First Champion Is Crowned

A huge congratulations to VGRdaftpunk, who claimed victory in dominant fashion and earned the very first star in the history of the One Credit Challenge. An outstanding season marked by remarkable consistency and numerous victories. Congratulations to the inaugural champion of the competition!

As a reminder, the winner of each individual challenge (each game) received a game key (GOG, Steam, etc.). As the overall season champion, VGRdaftpunk also wins their choice of an RGB Dual 2 or a one-year Patreon membership.

An Incredible Community

A huge thank you to the 45 players who took part in this first edition by submitting at least one score. They brought this challenge to life and proved once again that the retro gaming community is as passionate as ever.

With an average of 18 players per challenge, the turnout exceeded all expectations for a first season. We'd also like to highlight the fantastic community spirit: friendly banter, helpful tips to improve together, and players of every skill level welcomed with open arms, regardless of their setup (arcade cabinet, CRT, HDTV, handheld console, and more). We hope you'll join us next season!

Special Thanks Where They're Due

A massive thank you to Angelfred, whose dedication made this competition possible within our incredible community. From selecting the games and hosting each challenge to maintaining the leaderboards, what may seem like a simple competition between enthusiasts actually represents countless hours of volunteer work, allowing everyone to battle it out across a wide variety of arcade titles over the past ten months.

See You for Season 2

This first season has been a tremendous success thanks to every single one of you. Thank you for your enthusiasm, your sportsmanship, and your passion.

We'll see you very soon for Season 2, which promises to be even more exciting!

A dedicated channel is already open on our Discord.

Enjoying the work of the Recalbox team? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

The Recalbox JVS Kickstarter campaign came to an end this Saturday at 11 PM, and the final result once again proves that the retrogaming community always shows up when it comes to arcade gaming and preservation, with €74,731 raised against an initial goal of €20,000.

A Project Born from a Shared Passion

The Recalbox JVS was born from a simple ambition: to offer a solution capable of bringing JVS arcade cabinets back to life, in the same spirit that has always driven Recalbox, just as we previously did with the RGB JAMMA. What the community has just demonstrated is that this passion was shared by far more people than we could have imagined.

Thank You

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you. Whether you backed the project from day one or joined the adventure during its final days, your support helped turn the Recalbox JVS project into something truly extraordinary.

A huge thank you as well to Tenzen Arcade for joining us on this new adventure, and to everyone who worked behind the scenes to make this launch possible—from our veteran arcade friends to the arcade venues that opened their doors for testing sessions and video shoots.

The Recalbox JVS represents more than two years of research and development, multiple hardware prototypes, hundreds of hours of testing, and dozens of arcade cabinets used as test platforms. None of this would have been possible without being surrounded by the very best people. Thank you!

What's Next?

If you missed the Kickstarter campaign, it's not too late! You can still support the project by pre-ordering your Recalbox JVS on Kickstarter.

Shipping for Insider reward backers will begin as early as next week. For all other reward tiers and what's next (availability on the Recalbox Shop, stock, and shipping), we'll keep you updated as soon as we have a clear production and delivery schedule.

Once again, thank you all for your incredible support.

Enjoying the work of the Recalbox team? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

After several weeks of availability to our Patrons, who were able to test every last detail of this new version, Recalbox 10.0.8 is available to everyone starting today!

The Raspberry Pi 5 2GB, supercharged

The most significant optimization in this version? It's the optimization of graphics memory, and the result… is simply a supercharged Raspberry Pi 5 2GB. Concretely, what does that mean? It's very simple: the Raspberry Pi 5 2GB is now the recommended model for running Recalbox, with performance similar to the 4GB model (and we won't even mention the 8GB, which brought absolutely no performance gain for Recalbox). The Pi 5 2GB is also the model we now offer in the Recalbox shop in place of the 4GB.

Demanding testing standards

To give you an idea of our testing standards, our tests were carried out with heavy themes (Nex-Pixel, Pop'N'Art...) and insane game lists, from 230,000 to 560,000 games, all scraped and with every system active. There you go, it's as clear as that. Whether in the frontend (the Recalbox menus) or in-game, your Raspberry Pi's RAM usage is cut by more than half! Smooth menus, games running at 60 FPS, the entire Pi5 game library will be shown off at its best with the 2GB model.

Other platforms benefit too

While our efforts focused on the Pi5 2GB, a nice surprise awaits other platforms too: this optimization also benefits the Pi4, the Pi3, handheld consoles, the GPi Case... which will still remain more limited, since they fall outside the Pi5 architecture.

A major update for your comfort

This update is a major one on our end. Even though it doesn't bring new features or systems like we regularly enjoy presenting to you, it delivers real comfort in your retrogaming experience. And that's no small thing: the cost of Raspberry Pis has risen in recent months, notably because of RAM, which has become a major issue in the computing world.

Accessibility, a priority for Recalbox

Retrogaming, and emulation in particular, must remain accessible to as many people as possible — both in terms of the philosophy we uphold within the Recalbox team, and in terms of budget. And knowing that the 2GB is roughly half the price of the 4GB, we're very pleased with what this 10.0.8 delivers. Happy installing, happy updating, and enjoy!

A big thank you to our Patrons :

Thank you to our Patrons who allowed us to release this update within this timeframe, and thank you as well to our Patrons on the Patron-Alpha update channel who are currently testing 10.1 — your support is essential! Do you appreciate the work of the Recalbox team? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

Release Notes

Sony has just made an announcement that will leave its mark on video game history: starting in 2028, no new PlayStation games will be released on disc. It's a radical decision that definitively closes the chapter of physical media opened by the very first PlayStation, and one that encourages us, as players, to reflect on our own relationship with game ownership.

Sony has just signaled the end of an era: no more PlayStation games on disc starting in 2028. It's a decision the industry has been predicting for years, but one that few expected to happen quite this soon. And it's coming from the company with perhaps the greatest legitimacy to make it, having been the very one that elevated optical discs to the pinnacle of gaming across three generations of consoles. Between undeniable convenience, our collective responsibility, and a gaming heritage that continues to fade away, this announcement deserves a closer look.

This article is an opinion piece. It reflects the views of its author alone and is intended to encourage discussion, without claiming to hold the absolute truth or to speak on behalf of the entire team.

What Sony announced

In a statement signed by Sid Shuman, Senior Director of Communications at Sony Interactive Entertainment, the news broke on July 1, 2026: the production of physical discs for all new games released on PlayStation consoles will come to an end starting in January 2028. After that date, new titles will only be available through the PlayStation Store or digital retailers.

Sony justifies this transition as a natural evolution, explaining that consumer preference for digital media has now far surpassed physical discs. The company also backed up its decision with hard numbers: during the last quarter of fiscal year 2025, 85% of all full-game sales on PS4 and PS5 were already digital.

The irony of the timing

Ironically, on the very same day Sony officially announced the end of physical discs for future games, the company also revealed that the PlayStation Store for PS3 and PS Vita will shut down in July 2027... A symbolic coincidence that perfectly illustrates the fragility of the all-digital future being promoted: when a digital storefront closes, an entire library of games instantly becomes impossible to purchase.

Sony buries the very creation that made it what it is

There is another layer of irony to this decision. Sony isn't just another company involved in physical media: it co-developed the Compact Disc alongside Philips in the early 1980s, before helping establish CDs over cartridges with the original PlayStation. Then the PlayStation 2 played a major role in bringing DVDs into millions of homes during the early 2000s, while the PlayStation 3 helped Blu-ray triumph over HD DVD. Three generations of consoles, three major victories for the physical formats championed largely by the Japanese manufacturer. Seeing that very same company officially bring physical media to an end isn't simply a strategic shift—it's a remarkable reversal for a brand that long embodied the culture of tangible game ownership.

A logical decision... but maybe we should take a look at ourselves too

It's difficult to call this outrageous without being honest with ourselves. As abrupt as this announcement may seem, it's ultimately just the culmination of a trend we've collectively encouraged for years. On PC, digital distribution has been the norm for well over a decade thanks to Steam (or because of it, depending on who you ask), which accustomed an entire generation of players to buying games with a single click—no box, no disc, no waiting. On consoles, the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store simply followed that same path, driven by our own appetite for instant gratification: why wait for a store to open or for a package to arrive when you can start playing just five minutes after making your purchase?

Our desire to have everything immediately is also part of the reason we've reached this point. Every digital sale we chose instead of visiting a game store, every digital pre-order instead of buying a physical copy, helped build the world in which Sony can now announce this transition without fearing too much backlash from players. And you know it just as well as I do: a few videos from experts or influencers calling it a scandal won't change anything. The train left the station years ago... and GTA VI certainly won't prove me wrong. The numbers speak for themselves: the vast majority of us have already voted with our wallets.

What we lose when we lose the box

But acknowledging our share of the responsibility shouldn't stop us from recognizing what's really at stake here. Beyond convenience, it's an entire part of our collective gaming memory that's slowly disappearing. The game cover we'd turn over to read the back before even inserting the disc. The instruction manual we'd flip through on the ride home from the store—back when games still came with one. The weight of the case sitting on a shelf, the spine you could instantly recognize among the rest of your collection. All of these things represent a tangible heritage, a physical trace of video game history that goes far beyond a simple consumer product.

How many of you have wandered through a flea market or a second-hand game store, only to spot a game cover you thought you'd completely forgotten, instantly transporting you back to your childhood? That's an experience our children may never have...

That's precisely why places like video game museums, preservation associations, and even emulation projects exist. Discs, cartridges, manuals, and box art aren't just packaging—they're physical witnesses to an entire culture. A digital game can disappear from a storefront overnight. A disc or a cartridge, as long as it survives and there's still a machine capable of reading it, remains tangible proof that a game existed, in a specific form, at a specific moment in time.

So, what now?

This announcement opens a debate that is far from over: how much ownership and cultural memory are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of convenience? The second-hand market, lending games to friends, reselling titles—entire traditions of gaming culture could slowly disappear along with this transition. Now the question is whether Xbox, and to a lesser extent Nintendo, will eventually follow the same path, or whether physical media will continue to survive elsewhere, kept alive by collectors and preservation enthusiasts.

One thing is certain: the more the industry embraces an all-digital future, the more essential preservation and archival initiatives will become in safeguarding our gaming heritage. So what do you think? Is the convenience of instant access worth losing this tangible piece of our history?

The Recalbox JVS Kickstarter campaign is almost over — and what a finish! With more than €60,000 already pledged toward an initial €20,000 goal, the community has shown up in force to support this new project. To celebrate this incredible achievement, we're inviting you to join us for a special closing livestream this Saturday evening.

A Twitch livestream for the final countdown

Saturday, July 4 at 9:00 PM (CEST), we'll be live on Twitch alongside Fab2Ris and digitalLumberjack as we count down the final hours of the campaign, which will officially end at 11:00 PM (CEST).

Here's what you can expect:

• a look back at the Recalbox JVS project and its features;
• live Q&A with the team;
• the final countdown as the campaign comes to a close;
• a proper celebration of this fantastic community success.

To join the livestream, head over to the Recalbox Twitch channel.

There's still time to back the project...

You can still join the adventure and support the project before the campaign ends at 11:00 PM (CEST)! Full details, rewards, and stretch goals are available on the Kickstarter page.

Support the Recalbox JVS Kickstarter campaign.

We hope to see many of you on Saturday night as we celebrate the end of this amazing campaign together!

Fans of brick breakers and vector arcade games are in for a treat: Beudbeud has just released a brand-new open-source project, the Arduino Arcade Spinner, a DIY spinner designed to be 100% compatible with Recalbox 10—no configuration required.

The spinner: an arcade legend

Long before modern gamepads became the standard, iconic arcade machines such as Arkanoid and Tempest relied on a spinner: a rotary controller that offered far more precise and natural control than a joystick or gamepad. Recreating that authentic arcade feel at home has always been a challenge for retro gaming enthusiasts—and that's exactly what Beudbeud's latest project aims to solve.

Plug and play with Recalbox 10

The concept is simple: once assembled and flashed, the spinner behaves like a standard USB mouse. Just plug it into your Recalbox 10 and it's instantly recognized, with no additional setup required.

Compatibility goes well beyond Recalbox, too. The project also works on Windows, Linux, macOS, RetroPie, and MiSTer.

The spinner also features five buttons mapped to mouse buttons, along with five preset sensitivity profiles matching classic arcade standards (Omega Race, Tempest, Tron, Blasteroids, and Arkanoid). This lets you recreate the authentic feel of each original cabinet, with a simple keyboard shortcut to switch profiles on the fly during gameplay.

A DIY project

The spinner is built around an Arduino Pro Micro paired with a high-precision 600 PPR rotary encoder, making it an accessible project for anyone with basic DIY skills. Components are easy to source from AliExpress or arcade hardware retailers, and while a 3D-printable enclosure is provided, you're free to build your own.

The GitLab repository includes everything you need to get started: a detailed wiring diagram, fully customizable Arduino source code (including sensitivity, acceleration curve, and additional profiles), and a complete bill of materials.

The project is released under the GPLv3 license and builds upon the work of Beudbeud, Bounitos (enclosure design), as well as libraries from the MiSTer community (Alexey Melnikov), Mikael Norrgård, HID-Project, and willoucom.

Build your own

All technical documentation, source code, and wiring diagrams are available directly from the project's repository:

Build your own spinner

A huge thank you to Beudbeud and all the contributors for creating this fantastic new tool, which will allow the entire community to rediscover arcade classics just the way they were meant to be played.

Enjoying the work of the Recalbox team? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

Claude Guillemot, co-founder of Ubisoft, has died at the age of 69 in the crash of a light aircraft in La Baule on Friday, June 19. The news resonates deeply with us: an entire chapter of French video game history has come to an end.

Five brothers, one ambition, an empire

In 1986, Claude Guillemot and his four brothers — Christian, Gérard, Michel, and Yves — founded Ubi Soft in Brittany, France. Less visible than his brother Yves, who became the public face of the company as CEO, Claude was one of those who built success behind the scenes. He also led Guillemot Corporation, the parent company behind brands many of us have used without necessarily knowing it: Thrustmaster and Hercules, both long-standing references in gaming accessories and audio equipment.

From this family venture emerged one of the greatest success stories in the French video game industry — a company that brought to life franchises that became global icons: Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Rayman, Prince of Persia, and the Tom Clancy’s series. These are names that helped put France on the international gaming map in an industry where few expected it to shine.

Whether these franchises are retro classics or modern blockbusters, most of us have played at least one Ubisoft title at some point. From Rayman and Prince of Persia on your old console or your Recalbox to Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six on modern consoles, Ubisoft has consistently left its mark across generations, and each of the French developer’s franchises has helped shape the industry in its own way.

A legacy that goes far beyond financial results

It would be dishonest to pretend that Ubisoft is going through an easy period. The company has faced significant restructuring in recent months, with project cancellations and departures that have had a noticeable impact on the community. Yet these challenges, real as they may be, should not overshadow the bigger picture: what the Guillemot family has built since 1986 remains a landmark achievement in the video game industry and a source of French pride.

Claude Guillemot belonged to a generation of entrepreneurs who helped bring French video games onto the world stage at a time when few would have bet on such an ambition. For us in the Recalbox community, who grew up with these games and the hardware associated with them, this is also a small part of our own story being remembered today.

Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.

Sources: Clubic, France Info, TheGamer

On Sunday, June 21st, it's Music Day! And if you're not the type to spend the evening hopping between outdoor concerts, but still want to celebrate by combining music and video games, we've got just the thing for you: our very own Music Day celebration, from the comfort of your screen.

For the occasion, Fab2ris will be hosting a special live stream on the Recalbox Twitch channel. The spirit of the evening is simple: music, video games, and the great atmosphere that comes with them.

Whether you're a music lover, a video game enthusiast, or both, this live stream is for you. The idea is straightforward: enjoy Music Day without leaving your couch, surrounded by a community that shares the same passions.

Join us this Sunday, June 21st, from 9:00 PM (CEST) live on the Recalbox Twitch channel at this address.

We're looking forward to seeing many of you for an evening dedicated to music and video games.

Enjoying the work of the Recalbox team? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

Here we are, friends — the final challenge of the first season of the One Credit Challenge, Recalbox's arcade competition. Over this first year, no fewer than 20 games have put us head-to-head over the course of 10 months. And when I say "us," I mean 43 players who took part, regardless of skill level or preferred setup (gamepad, arcade cabinet, handheld, LCD, CRT, and more).

Of course, it's still possible to join the challenge for this final arcade showdown. While the goal is to play, this One Credit Challenge has above all been an opportunity to discover new titles, meet fellow players, and compete together regardless of skill level in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Let's also remember that every winner of an individual game received a game key (GOG, Steam, etc.), while the overall tournament winner will walk away with either a free RGB Dual 2 or a one-year subscription to Recalbox Patreon.

Before we begin, we'd like to highlight (even if he doesn't like the spotlight) Angelfred, who organized this tournament from start to finish: selecting the games, maintaining both the individual and overall scoreboards, ensuring the rules were respected, and handling everything required to keep a challenge like this running for 10 months. Thank you! And of course, a huge thank you to all the players! Whether you dropped in for a few challenges or stayed loyal throughout the season, firmly planted at your arcade cabinet and eager to put the first score on the board, none of this would have been possible without you.

But enough with the compliments — we're not here for hugs and hand-holding. Let's get to the game!

A Drill, Oxygen, and Nerves of Steel

After the chaos of Charlie Ninja, One Credit Challenge #20 takes a completely different direction. Put away your fists and grab a drill. Mr. Driller 2 was released in arcades in 2000 on Namco System 10 hardware before being ported to Game Boy Advance and PC. Beneath its colorful visuals and cheerful atmosphere lies one of the most demanding arcade puzzle games of its era.

Digging, Yes. But Not Just Any Way

The concept is simple to explain but incredibly difficult to master. Susumu Hori — better known as Mr. Driller — descends deep into the Earth, destroying colored blocks along the way. Blocks of the same color stick together; when a group of four or more forms, it disappears, triggering chain reactions that can either save you... or crush you.

That's where the danger lies: every block you destroy can cause others to fall. One bad calculation and you'll find yourself six feet under before you even understand what happened.

Your other enemy is oxygen. A constantly draining meter forces you to collect air capsules to stay alive. Dig too quickly without keeping an eye on your oxygen, and you'll suffocate. Hesitate for too long, and the result is exactly the same.

Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It

The goal of this challenge is to reach 1,000 feet in the America stage. That's a long way down.

The pressure increases exponentially as you descend: blocks fall faster, chain reactions become harder to predict, and the slightest mistake can trigger a fatal collapse. The game demands quick reflexes, anticipation, and careful oxygen management — three things that are extremely difficult to maintain simultaneously over the course of a single credit.

🏆 Challenge Rules

Your objective is to achieve the highest score possible on a single credit.

The challenge runs from June 16 to June 30 at 11:59 PM. You may attempt it as many times as you like.

📢 How to Participate

• Launch the game (ROM: mrdrill2)
• Play and try to beat the highest score
• Take a screenshot or photo of your final score
• Share your score on the Discord channel #challenges, including your nickname and score

⚖️ Rules to Follow

To ensure fair competition:

Your score must be achieved on a single credit, with no save states, rewind, cheats, or autofire (unless specifically supported by the game).

Gentleman's agreement: the use of glitches that artificially inflate scores is also prohibited.

🎁 Rewards and Fair Play

The goal of this challenge is above all to discover games, share tips, and have fun together — all within a healthy competitive spirit.

The winner will receive a game key (GOG, Steam, etc.) chosen from a list of approximately 100 titles.

If you have already won a challenge within the last three months, the prize will be awarded to the next eligible player.

Your ranking will be added to the One Credit Challenge leaderboard.

The champion of the first season will receive either a free RGB Dual 2 or a one-year Recalbox Patreon subscription.

Good luck to everyone, and may the highest score win!

HFS Summer 2026 was the stage for the official launch of the Recalbox JVS — along with the announcement of its Kickstarter campaign, broadcast live on the Recalbox Twitch channel. If you missed the stream, the replay is now available.

Recalbox JVS in a Nutshell

The Recalbox JVS is a Raspberry Pi 5 HAT designed to bring JVS arcade cabinets back to life — the dominant arcade standard since the late 1990s. Vewlix, NoirCab, Naomi Universal Cabinet (NUC), Lindbergh guncabs, race cabs: connect five cables, make a few clicks on the CRT screen, and the entire Recalbox library becomes available directly from your cabinet. Plug in, power on, play.

Thank YouThe Kickstarter campaign has already surpassed €40,000, doubling its initial €20,000 goal. The target has been exceeded by 200%, and there's still time left. This achievement is yours — every pledge matters and directly contributes to making Recalbox JVS a reality under the best possible conditions.

If you haven't taken the plunge yet (and you've managed to convince your significant other that "yes, an arcade cabinet really does fit in the living room"), there's still time to join the adventure and become one of the people who helped make this project possible.

→ Support Recalbox JVS on Kickstarter

Enjoying the work of the Recalbox team? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

A beat 'em up in the grand tradition of Final Fight and Streets of Rage, developed simultaneously for Amiga, Neo Geo and PC — and whose Kickstarter campaign smashed its funding goal in just a few days. Metro Siege doesn't pull any punches.

Gangs, riots and flying fists

Metro Siege is being developed by BitBeamCannon, the studio already known for DaemonClaw. The game follows in the footsteps of the side-scrolling beat 'em ups of the '80s and '90s: gangs wreaking havoc across a city, and heroes settling the matter with their bare hands. Players take control of Kim, a former police officer suspended for investigating her father's death, and Alex, her friend and owner of an MMA gym — two complementary characters who take to the streets in search of the source behind the riots. A third playable character will join the roster once unlocked.

The combat system goes beyond simple button mashing, featuring blocking, parries and ground attacks. We wouldn't necessarily call it subtle when it comes to handing out beatdowns, but there's certainly plenty of fun to be had.

Three versions, one shared ambition

This is where the project becomes particularly interesting. Metro Siege is being developed in parallel for Amiga, Neo Geo and PC (Steam & Itch.io), with deliberate gameplay differences between versions. Alternate character outfits, certain bosses and some mechanics vary depending on the platform. The goal is for each version to offer a slightly different experience rather than being a straight port.

The Amiga version is expected to launch first, with the others following shortly after. The Kickstarter campaign includes physical editions for Amiga (floppy disk and CD) and Neo Geo MVS/AES, along with collector cards, badges and posters as bonus rewards.

A Kickstarter campaign off to a flying start

Launched with a €16,000 funding goal, the campaign has already raised more than €49,000 with 23 days still remaining. The message is clear: the appetite for high-quality beat 'em ups on vintage hardware is very real. And it's great to see the community supporting projects of this scale, especially when physical releases are involved.

An Amiga demo has been available since 2024, and feedback from players who tried it on the A500 Mini was already very encouraging. Now it's just a matter of waiting, warming up to avoid pulling a muscle, and getting ready to hand out some serious beatdowns.

Sources: Time Extension, Metro Siege Kickstarter

Nintendo saved its biggest announcement for the end of the June 2026 Nintendo Direct: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is returning as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive remake, scheduled for release later this year.

Hyrule Reborn on Switch 2

The June 2026 Nintendo Direct served as the stage for the reveal — and not just anywhere in the lineup: the Ocarina of Time remake closed the show. The trailer (embedded below) is entirely cinematic — no gameplay footage, just a narration centered on the forest child who had no fairy — but it confirms a 2026 release, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2. More details are expected in the coming months, likely through a dedicated Nintendo Direct presentation.

Visually, even the brief glimpse shown was striking: light reflects realistically off Link's hair, a clear sign that Nintendo has gone far beyond a simple remaster. The official term used by Nintendo leaves no room for doubt: "reborn" — Ocarina of Time is being reborn.

A Rumor Becomes Reality

The existence of the project had previously been reported by leaker Nate the Hate, whose credibility had already been reinforced a few weeks earlier following the confirmed announcement of a new classic-style Star Fox title. The remake is part of Zelda's 40th anniversary celebrations and is expected to help drive Nintendo Switch 2 sales while fans wait for the franchise's next major installment. Nintendo's latest console still has a rather thin game library, with many cross-generation titles... And they need something to justify the price increase expected in September...

November in Sight

No specific release date has been announced yet, but the clues are lining up. Rumors point to a holiday season launch — November or December — which would mirror the original game's November 1998 release on Nintendo 64. The original version holds a Metacritic score of 99, a legacy that explains both the enormous anticipation and Nintendo's cautious approach to revealing information.

The community's reaction was immediate and unmistakable: raw emotion, reports of tears across social media, and comments that instantly transported players back to 1998. Some remakes arrive too late. This one seems to be arriving at exactly the right moment.

Sources: GameSpot, Shacknews, TweakTown, GamingBible

Do you enjoy the work of the Recalbox team? Support the project by becoming a Patron!