Polymega hardware prices are going up in October

Playmaji is raising prices across its Polymega retro hardware ecosystem starting October 5. The official announcement points to rising component costs and manufacturing expenses. The price hike affects the core console, the PC peripherals, and the interchangeable modules required to play cartridge games.

The Polymega Base Unit will jump to $599. The PC-focused Polymega Remix is moving to $229. Element Module sets, which allow the system to play cartridge games from systems like the Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, and Nintendo 64, will cost $99. The RC-Series controllers are adjusting to $35. All other product prices remain unchanged.

AI data centers squeeze components

The company blames the surge in data center investments for AI, which competes directly for the same semiconductor memory and processors used in consumer electronics. Fuel and shipping costs are also pushing up the expense of building physical goods. It's completely understandable to have to raise prices. Almost everyone else has raised prices or delayed releases over the last few years as supply chains continue to struggle with demand.

We have covered Polymega before. The modular console first shipped in September 2021. It uses a mix of hardware and software emulation to play original CD-ROM and cartridge games. The base unit handles disc-based systems like the PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Sega CD, and TurboGrafx-CD out of the box. Users then buy the specific Element Modules they need for their cartridge collections. The system dumps the ROM data from your physical media and builds a digital library on the console, complete with box art and metadata.

Modules and disc drives

Playmaji recently overhauled this hardware. They introduced a revised V2 Base Unit with a tray-loading optical drive to replace the original slot-loading mechanism. The V2 also features a faster processor and doubled RAM to improve emulation performance.

Alongside the V2 console, they launched the Remix. This is a USB peripheral that connects to a Windows 11 PC or handheld, allowing players to digitize and play their physical collections through the Polymega App without needing the full $599 base unit. The Remix is a smart pivot for the company, lowering the barrier to entry for people who already own a capable gaming PC or a handheld like the ROG Ally.

I've emailed Polymega a few times to try and purchase a full CD set to do a series reviewing them. They never write back. The hardware seems pretty cool. But I'm mostly interest in the physical games.

A short window for pre-orders

Pre-orders for most products are reopening today, with shipments planned for the 2026 holiday season. Any order placed before the October 5 cutoff will be honored at the current, lower prices. This gives buyers a short window to grab the hardware before the increases take effect.

The Polymega ecosystem remains one of the only modern, all-in-one solutions for playing original retro media on a modern television. We support and love any company that releases physical games, or in this case, builds the hardware to keep those original discs and cartridges running.