Playmaji

Playmaji, Inc. is a specialized developer and manufacturer focused on the retro video game market. The company was founded in 2015 by Bryan Bernal and Eric Christensen, two video game development veterans with experience at Insomniac Games on titles like *Ratchet & Clank* and *Titanfall*. The inspiration for the company came from Bernal's 2015 trip to Japan, where he faced the complexities of playing older PC Engine games on modern HD televisions and sought to create a streamlined solution.

Originally announced in January 2017 as RetroBlox, the company rebranded to Playmaji, Inc. later that year. The firm's flagship product is the Polymega, a modular, emulation-based home video game console. After navigating significant development and production delays, including supply chain issues and the COVID-19 pandemic, the Polymega was officially released worldwide on September 12, 2021, fulfilling pre-orders placed as early as 2018. In July 2023, Playmaji secured a strategic minority investment from Atari to help clear its pre-order backlog and expand its product offerings.

The Polymega serves retro gaming enthusiasts who own original game media and desire a convenient way to play their collections on modern displays. The business model centers on the sale of hardware and a planned digital storefront. Revenue is generated from the Polymega Base Unit, which retails for around $550, and separate "Element Modules" for cartridge-based systems, which sell for about $80 each. The company also plans a subscription service, Polymega XL, to offer cloud saves and other premium features for a forthcoming PC application.

The Polymega console's core value proposition is its hybrid approach to retro gaming. The base unit features an Intel Coffee Lake S processor and a built-in CD/DVD drive, providing out-of-the-box compatibility for disc-based games from consoles like the PlayStation, Sega CD, Sega Saturn, and Neo Geo CD. Its key feature is the ability to install legally-owned physical games onto its internal or expanded storage (via M.2 SSD and Micro SDXC slots), creating a digital library that doesn't require the original media to play. Support for cartridge-based systems, including the NES, SNES, and Nintendo 64, is enabled through swappable Element Modules. The console uses legally licensed and modified versions of emulators like Mednafen and Kega Fusion to ensure compatibility with over 90% of each classic console's library, including regional variants. Keywords: retro gaming, modular console, video game preservation, emulation console, classic games, Polymega, physical media, game library management, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, multi-system console, CD-based gaming, cartridge gaming, digital archiving, Bryan Bernal, Eric Christensen, Atari partnership, video game hardware, homebrew games