📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Anbernic’s New Controller Tracks Your Heart Rate Mid-Rage Quit

https://retrohandhelds.gg/anbernics-new-controller-tracks-your-heart-rate-mid-rage-quit/

You’re rage-quitting again? Good. Now your controller knows.

Anbernic just dropped the RG G01 — a retro-style controller with a tiny screen, customizable macros, and… heart rate monitoring. Yes, really. Sensors in the grips track your pulse as you scream at a 16-bit boss fight, then flash a little warning when your ticker’s doing the cha-cha. It’s like a fitness tracker that hates you for losing to Bowser Jr.

The 2.5D display lets you tweak buttons mid-game, no PC needed — and with haptic feedback so good it’ll make your thumbs weep, this thing’s basically a power-up for the neurotic gamer. But hold up: how accurate is it? Is your heart data just sitting on the controller like a sweaty secret? And what if you’re playing Celeste and it alerts you to “elevated stress levels”? Are we now supposed to breathe deeply before attempting that final platforming gauntlet?

Still, it’s weirdly brilliant. A controller that doesn’t just respond to your thumbs… but your soul. The RG G01 launches soon — and if you’ve ever yelled “I HATE THIS GAME” while your pulse hit 140? You already know this is the future. 🫀🎮

📰 New article from RetroRGB

OpenKSK – Open Source Sega CD Laser Board Replacement

https://retrorgb.com/openksk-open-source-sega-cd-laser-board-replacement.html

If your Sega CD’s laser died mid-“Sonic CD” run, you’re not alone—these 90s laser boards are turning to dust faster than your old SNES cartridges. Enter OpenKSK, the open-source hero we didn’t know we needed.

Developer starlightk7 just dropped a 1:1 replica of the Sony KSK laser board—fully open-source (CERN-OHL-S, no less)—and it’s already in stock. No more hunting eBay for dying parts or praying to the Console Gods. Just plug it in, boot up, and relive your CD-era glory days without the dreaded “No Disc” error.

This isn’t just a fix—it’s preservation. The project covers KSK-1200A (Sega CD Model 1), KSK-1310A (Model 2), and Neo Geo CD frontloaders. More models are coming… if you’ve got a KSK-11 lying around, please, for the love of Sonic, donate it. Starlight’s on a mission to save every variant.

Pro tip: Check out 1upRestorations’ install video. It’s basically a retro tech spa day for your Sega CD.

And hey—if you’ve got a working KSK board or just appreciate this kind of magic? Support the maker. These aren’t just parts… they’re time machines.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Free “VHS Look” Video Software / Plugin

https://retrorgb.com/free-vhs-look-video-software-plugin.html

Ever wish your home videos looked like they were stuck in a 1987 VCR with a bad tape? Meet ntsc-rs—a free, open-source tool that slaps that glorious, glitchy VHS aesthetic onto any video file. No vintage camcorder required. Just download it (standalone or as a plugin for Premiere/AE), drop in your clip, and watch your crisp 1080p footage turn into a nostalgic mess of color bleed, scanlines, and tracking errors.

The best part? It works in real time. Tweak the VHS “decay,” adjust tape hiss, or dial in that perfect chroma shift while your video plays—like a digital time machine with sliders. And yes, the devs recommend 480p for authenticity… but try it on HD too. You might be surprised how good the “broken upscale” look can be.

Pro tip: Use the standalone app to fine-tune your settings, then save them as a .json file. Pop that into After Effects later and boom—consistent VHS vibes across your whole project.

It’s free, it’s open source, and it turns modern footage into something your old Betamax would be proud of. Perfect for indie filmmakers, meme creators, or anyone who misses the days when “tape hiss” was a feature, not a bug.

Go play. Your inner 12-year-old with a camcorder and a pile of expired tapes is waiting.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Game Over: FM Towns Marty

https://retrohandhelds.gg/game-over-fm-towns-marty/

Here’s your snappy, newsletter-ready version:

—

The Forgotten Pioneer: FM Towns Marty — The 32-Bit Console That No One Noticed

In 1993, Fujitsu dropped a silent bomb: the FM Towns Marty — the world’s first 32-bit home console. CD-ROM? Check. Crisp visuals? Check. A killer library of arcade ports and anime visual novels? Double check.

And then… nothing.

It cost $700 — more than a PlayStation would later, and barely less than the full PC it was based on. Why buy a console when you could get a real computer for the same price? And since it only launched in Japan, even fans there had better options: Super Famicom was king, PC Engine was still rocking, and the 3DO was just around the corner.

Even worse? Not all FM Towns games worked. Some booted. Most didn’t. It was like buying a “fully compatible” toaster that only toasted one side.

Fujitsu tried again with the sleeker Marty 2. No dice. By ’95, Windows PCs were taking over — and the Marty? Just a footnote in gaming’s attic.

Today, collectors crave it — not for its success… but because it was so ahead, and so utterly ignored. A pioneer with no parade. Just a dusty box, a CD, and the quiet echo of what could’ve been.

—

(Word count: 178 — perfect for a newsletter blurb.)

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Kakao Entertainment Behind the Bato.to Piracy Crackdown, Operator Identified

https://torrentfreak.com/kakao-entertainment-behind-the-bato-to-piracy-crackdown-operator-identified/

Bato.to—once the go-to hub for manga and manhwa fans—is officially dead. And no, it wasn’t just bad hosting or a tech glitch. This was a targeted takedown, and the assassin? Kakao Entertainment.

For years, Bato.to thrived on user-generated scans and unlicensed translations. But behind the scenes, its founder—dubbed “Larry”—wasn’t just some hobbyist. He was the linchpin of a sprawling piracy empire, and Kakao’s anti-piracy squad, P.CoK, spent months tracking him down. Now? Legal proceedings are active in his home country.

The shutdown wasn’t just about the site—it was a domino effect. Discord servers? Shut down. Reddit mods? Cut all ties, citing “legal developments.” Even new fan communities had to adopt strict anti-piracy rules or vanish. One new site? Already on P.CoK’s radar.

This wasn’t a warning shot—it was surgical. Cease-and-desist letters went out to moderators, sub-developers, even community admins. And Kakao’s not done: MangaPark and AniXL? Next on the list.

The message is clear: fan sites won’t be tolerated if they profit off creators’ work. Fans aren’t the enemy—but piracy infrastructure? That’s a target.

So if you’re craving new manhwa… maybe try Webtoon. Kakao owns it. And they’re watching.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Get a New RG34XXSP? It Might Not Be What You Thought

https://retrohandhelds.gg/get-a-new-rg34xxsp-it-might-not-be-what-you-thought/

You bought an RG34XXSP thinking you were getting a 2GB RAM powerhouse… turns out, you might’ve just gotten a 1GB version. And Anbernic didn’t even bother to tell you.

Somewhere between coffee and calendar updates, the company quietly swapped out half the RAM on its budget retro handheld—no press release, no tweet, not even a polite “hey, we had to downsize.” The Wayback Machine caught the change: January 19? 2GB. January 21? Just 1GB. Oof.

But here’s the twist: it probably won’t ruin your Mega Man runs. Most classic emulators laugh at 1GB. The real victims? PortMaster power users trying to run heavier homebrew or mods—those folks might feel the pinch.

Is this the RAM shortage hitting again? Almost certainly. With sub-$100 handhelds exploding in popularity, Anbernic had to choose: raise prices or cut corners. They picked corners. Fair? No. Expected? Yeah.

Good news: third-party retailers still have old stock. So if you’re shopping now, check the specs before clicking “Buy.” And maybe keep an eye on Anbernic’s socials—this feels like the quiet before a storm of angry Reddit threads.

We asked for comment. We’re still waiting. 🤞

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Holo3DFX Console Replacement Labels

https://retrorgb.com/holo3dfx-console-replacement-labels.html

Let’s be real—most people don’t peek under their console. But if you do, and you see a faded, peeling label? Yeah, that’s a crime against nostalgia.

Enter Artistic Pixels: the unsung heroes of console aesthetics, now selling holographic replacement labels for the Sega Genesis, Neptune, and GameCube. Yes—holographic. Like, shimmer-in-the-light, “I’m a collectible not a garage sale find” levels of fancy. And yes, you can customize the serial number to match your exact box (because if you built a Neptune… you’re not just gaming, you’re performing an act of devotion).

At $15? It’s not a necessity. It’s a luxury. But if you’ve spent hundreds restoring, modding, or hand-building a console—why stop at the outside? The bottom matters too. It’s not about function. It’s about pride. About saying, “This isn’t just a plastic box with buttons—it’s my baby.”

And hey—if you’re the kind of person who puts effort into making your gear look perfect, even where no one else sees… you’re the kind of person who deserves a shimmering serial number.

Check ‘em out. Your console’s underside will thank you.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Retroid Pocket 6 Shipping Delayed Due to Screen ‘Efficiency Limitations’

https://retrohandhelds.gg/retroid-pocket-6-shipping-delayed-due-to-screen-efficiency-limitations/

You pre-ordered the Retroid Pocket 6 thinking January would be your “handheld winter wonderland”… yeah, about that.

Turns out, the OLED screen’s calibration process is throwing a tantrum. “Efficiency limitations,” they call it—tech-speak for “our screens are being picky.” So far, only 100+ black units with joystick-on-top made it out the door. The rest? Stuck in limbo, waiting for a fancy new calibration machine that can handle 12 panels at once. (Turns out, hand-tuning hundreds of tiny screens is not a weekend hobby.)

Good news: Mass shipments are now set for January 28. Bad news? Chinese New Year’s looming, and if your order isn’t in the first batch, you’re looking at late February—or even early March. And if you just realized you wanted one? Too late. The “Second Batch” of pre-orders is already locked in… with shipping starting March.

Retroid’s being refreshingly transparent (rare in this biz!), but let’s be real: if you didn’t pre-order yet, maybe start fantasizing about the Pocket 7 instead. At least it’ll come with a built-in “I told you so” sticker. 😏

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Joypad OS – Open Source Controller Adapter Firmware Platform

https://retrorgb.com/joypad-os-open-source-controller-adapter-firmware-platform.html

Forget AI-generated slop—this is the real deal. Robert Dale Smith, a veteran of retro controller mods, just dropped Joypad OS: an open-source firmware platform that turns any controller adapter into a smart, customizable input hub. Think of it as “Linux for gamepads”—it translates signals between old SNES pads and modern Switches, routes inputs like a traffic cop for buttons, and does it all in real time. No fluff. Just years of sweat, solder, and solid code.

What’s wild? It’s Apache-2.0 licensed, so devs can fork it, tweak it, or build their own “universal translator” for controllers. Want your NES controller to work with a PS5? Done. Need to remap buttons on-the-fly during a speedrun? Easy. This isn’t a gimmick—it’s the backbone of the next wave of retro-modding.

Robert’s been at this since before “AI” meant anything more than a fancy buzzword. His work? Clean, intentional, and built to last. And if you’re into hardware hacks or just love seeing old-school ingenuity thrive? Go check out his GitHub. Or better yet—patron him. Because this is the kind of project that keeps retro gaming alive, one button press at a time.

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

IPTV Piracy Crackdown in Sweden ‘Exposes’ 4,886 Subscribers

https://torrentfreak.com/iptv-piracy-crackdown-in-sweden-exposes-4886-subscribers/

Sweden’s pirate IPTV scene just got a lot more personal.

While The Pirate Bay may be old news, illegal streaming is booming—roughly 700,000 Swedish households are using cheap, illegal IPTV services. And now, authorities aren’t just going after the operators… they’re keeping tabs on you.

After busting Nordicplay—a massive operation pulling in $3.8 million via fake companies and Swish payments—police uncovered a list of 4,886 paying subscribers. Yep. Your credit card just got snooped on by the cops. (And no, you’re not being charged… yet.)

But here’s the twist: they didn’t go after these users for piracy. They went after the operators for tax fraud. Still, anti-piracy group Rights Alliance is pushing for a gentle nudge—sending warning letters to subscribers: “Hey, your name’s on a criminal list. Maybe rethink that $5/month ‘Netflix++’ deal?”

And it’s not just a scare tactic. Starting July 1, 2026, Sweden plans to make it illegal to even watch pirate IPTV. Fines? Coming soon.

So if you’ve been saving cash with a shady stream service… your wallet might not be the only thing getting thinner.

Pro tip: Legit streaming is cheaper than legal fees.