A rating that appeared — then disappeared — on the ESRB website (the American equivalent of the European PEGI) has sent the retrogaming community into a frenzy. Three little words are enough to explain the excitement: Neo Geo AES+.

A leak that didn't go unnoticed

It all started with a rating published on the ESRB website, the American video game classification body. The title Samurai Shodown V Special was listed there on a previously unknown platform called Neo Geo AES+, with PLAION listed as the publisher. The page has since been taken down, but screenshots had already made their rounds.

PLAION, the modern retro hardware specialist

If the name doesn't ring a bell, their products probably will: the Atari 2600+, the Atari 7800+, the A500 Mini, and The C64 Mini. The formula is always the same — take the aesthetic of a cult machine, pack in emulation, and for some models, allow the use of original cartridges. The "+" suffix is their signature for this range, which makes the mention of "Neo Geo AES+" hard to interpret any other way.

A bit of context

The Neo Geo was launched in 1990 by SNK in two formats: the MVS for arcade cabinets, and the AES for the home (by the way, Recalbox versions from 10.0.2 onwards now properly distinguish between the two with two separate logos in the system list). The latter offered an experience identical to the arcade at home — an impressive feat for the time, but at a prohibitive price: nearly 650 dollars at launch, equivalent to over 1,500 dollars today. As a result, it has become a highly sought-after collector's item, with some rare cartridges changing hands for several thousand euros.

SNK has already attempted several hardware revivals with mixed results: the Neo Geo X in 2012, the Neo Geo Mini in 2018, and the Neo Geo Arcade Stick Pro in 2019.

What's next?

No official announcement has been made at this stage. If PLAION does confirm a Neo Geo AES+, we can reasonably expect their usual formula: built-in emulation, HDMI output, and perhaps compatibility with original AES cartridges? Stay tuned...

Sources: timeextension.com / renpou.com