📰 New article from TorrentFreak

ProtonVPN Fights French Pirate Site Blockades, But Court Rejects Overblocking Fears

https://torrentfreak.com/protonvpn-fights-french-pirate-site-blockades-but-court-rejects-overblocking-fears/

Ever tried watching a live match on a “secret” stream, only to hit a VPN wall? ProtonVPN just found out the hard way that French courts aren’t shy about ordering it to block pirate sites – and they’ve already won.

In late January Paris handed down two separate injunctions against Proton (the Swiss‑based VPN). One targets 16 domains streaming Premier League games; the other goes after another 16 sites peddling Top 14 rugby. The orders run until each season ends in mid‑2026, and they’re “dynamic” – meaning any new mirror can be added on the fly.

Proton fought back with every argument in its playbook: jurisdiction questions, net‑neutrality violations, WTO trade rules, and even the technical impossibility of blocking only French users. The court brushed each one aside as vague or unsubstantiated, noting no concrete evidence that a global blackout would result.

The verdict? Proton must block the 31 domains (one overlap) but won’t have to plaster the ruling on its site or pay Canal+’s €30 k claim. Meanwhile, French right‑sholders are also pushing Google DNS and ISP blocks, so the battle is far from over – and Europe’s top court may be the next arena. Bottom line: if you’re using a VPN in France to dodge piracy filters, expect more “access denied” screens heading your way.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Our Handhelds and Tariffs: An Optimistic Future?

https://retrohandhelds.gg/our-handhelds-and-tariffs-an-optimistic-future/

Turns out the Supreme Court doesn’t love the “trade war” drama nearly as much as the headlines suggest. Last year’s sweeping tariffs were deemed unlawful, potentially clearing the path for cheaper imports. However, don’t throw away your wallet just yet. The current administration has already slapped a temporary 10% global tariff on everything (except electronics) to replace the old ones.

It’s a complicated, ever-shifting bureaucratic chess match. While the threat of those crazy high China tariffs (which were up to 140% at their peak) might be fading, the government is just swapping one tax for another. For now, companies are still figuring out how to adapt—some are eating the costs, while others are stockpiling inventory to avoid the fees.

The moral of the story? In the world of tariffs, nothing is set in stone. Things will change again, and we’ll find a way to keep playing those retro games without breaking the bank. In the meantime, let’s just keep our fingers crossed and wait for the next update.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Hyper Street Kart is the Mashup I Want in a ROM Hack

https://retrohandhelds.gg/hyper-street-kart-is-the-mashup-i-want-in-a-rom-hack/

Ever feel paralyzed by the sheer number of games and handhelds sitting on your shelf? You’re not alone.

Sometimes the best cure for choice paralysis is a wild mashup, like Hyper Street Kart: The Road Warriors. This isn’t just a Mario Kart skin job; it’s a genuine love letter to the SNES era. The developer has completely overhauled the track layouts, added new pixel art, and replaced items like Turtle Shells with Fireballs.

The gameplay feels snappy, though you’ll need a delicate touch—the drift physics are much looser than the original, so don’t expect your kart to stick to the road.

Here’s why you should play:

• New Twists: Tracks change terrain mid-race, and the physics require a different driving style.
• Visual Overhaul: Character palettes swap instantly (Bowser becomes Blanka, for example).
• Battle Mode: Classic balloon popping is included, though it’s strictly for couch co-op.

It’s a fresh take on an old favorite that proves sometimes the best way to find a new gem is to stop looking and just start driving.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

No More Dongles: Official Evercade Wireless Controller Is On The Way

https://retrohandhelds.gg/no-more-dongles-official-evercade-wireless-controller-is-on-the-way/

No More Dongles: Evercade’s Long-Awaited Wireless Controller Is Finally Happening!

After years of forum debates, 8BitDo adapter hunts, and hopes pinned on “maybe this firmware update’ll fix it,” Evercade is finally dropping its own official wireless controller—because who doesn’t want a plug-and-play pad for couch-fighting Neo Geo legends?

The Evercade Wireless Controller arrives Sept 2026 and is built first for the VS-R, EXP-R, and Alpha systems. It brings turbo fire, analog sticks, and a magnetic dongle storage—no more losing tiny USB receivers in couch cushions. Priced at £34.99 GBP, it’ll likely land near $50 USD in the States.

Why this matters:

• ✅ First-party = better compatibility (no more guessing if your 8BitDo really works in VS mode)
• ✅ Designed for action/fighting games where lag and poor D-pads ruin the fun
• ✅ Signals Blaze is seriously leveling up its ecosystem—especially after recent firmware upgrades for Neo Geo and Atari support

The big question? Will it actually beat third-party options in ergonomics and responsiveness? If Blaze nails it, this could be the missing piece in Evercade’s retro revival puzzle. 🎮✨

Pre-orders? Soon, says the tweet.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green Are Coming to Nintendo Switch

https://retrohandhelds.gg/pokemon-fire-red-and-leaf-green-are-coming-to-nintendo-switch/

Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen Are Hopping Onto Switch—No Subscription Needed! 🌟

Forget the yearly fee and dusty cartridges: Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen are officially coming to the Nintendo Switch 1 & 2 eShop on February 27, 2026, as part of the Pokémon 30th-anniversary celebration. That’s right—no Nintendo Switch Online required, just pure, unaltered GBA nostalgia in your pocket (or on your docked TV).

Originally released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004, these remakes upgraded the originals with enhanced graphics, new post-game islands (looking at you, Sevii Islands), and quality-of-life fixes—making them fan favorites for over two decades. Now, they’re getting a shiny new lease on life… for $20 each, or $40 for the duo.

✅ Play anywhere on any Switch model

✅ No subscription needed

✅ Full language support (English, French, Spanish, etc.)

Sure, some fans might miss the retro charm of emulators or homebrew—but hey, if you want legitimacy and portability without breaking the bank? This might just be worth the trip down Memory Lane.

Got thoughts on this announcement—or your favorite handheld Pokémon run? Drop a line in the comments or join the chat over at Retro Handhelds’ Discord! 🎮✨

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

MustardOS “Jacaranda” Update Brings Color Controls and Smarter UI Features

https://retrohandhelds.gg/mustardos-jacaranda-update-brings-color-controls-and-smarter-ui-features/

MustardOS “Jacaranda” Update: Color Controls, Smarter UI, and a Bit of Nostalgia

The MustardOS (muOS) team just dropped Jacaranda—version 2601.0—the first major update of 2026—and it’s packed with polish, personality, and performance tweaks. As a “stealth drop,” the team quietly rolled it out last week to iron out kinks before the big reveal. A patch (2601.1) is already in the works.

One standout feature? Hardware-injected overlays—think real-time brightness, battery, and volume HUDs that don’t hog CPU cycles. Works great across emulators (including RetroArch!) and GLES apps, though PortMaster users will have to wait for compatibility fixes.

Gamers with an eye for aesthetics (or accessibility) will love the global color controls and per-game filters, including presets for color-blind modes. And yes—you can now choose between organized playlists or gloriously chaotic folder sorting.

Bonus tidbits:

• 📺 DVD-bounce screensaver (yes, really)
• 🎮 On-device community news & “Game of the Month” updates
• ⏱️ Activity tracker that builds your Play Style profile—exportable as HTML, for sharing with friends or flexing online

As always: back up before updating. muOS devs aren’t liable for lost saves—but they are listening (check the Discord and forums).

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Next Level #2: Screw Indiana Jones

https://retrohandhelds.gg/next-level-2/

Next Level #2: Screw Indiana Jones — And Other Bold Indie Bets

The indie scene is cooking this month—not with fire, but with dosas, cat DNA, and stolen artifacts on the move.

Relooted flips the heist script: instead of stealing for greed, you’re returning looted African artifacts to their homeland. Think Monaco meets moral clarity—stealthy, smart, and surprisingly resonant.

Dosa Divas is what happens when rhythm meets South Indian cuisine and turn-based combat. Miss a beat? Burn the dosa, weaken your party. It’s deliciously intense—and visually electric.

Then there’s Mewgenics, Edmund McMillen’s feline roguelite where breeding cats is both art and science. Genetics, poop mechanics, mortality—yes, really. It’s gross, funny, and weirdly profound.

Meanwhile, Dead Pets captures the gritty, punk-rock grind of adulthood and artistic ambition—Bojack Horseman with a guitar strap. And Zero Parades hopes to recapture Disco Elysium’s magic with a retired spy’s quiet rebellion.

From Steel Wake (free Titanfall-inspired mech chaos) to Virtuoso: Skins Game (Y2K golf with bribes and cyber-style), the week proves one thing: devs aren’t just daring—they’re daringly specific. And players are leaning in.

Because sometimes, the best games don’t follow the map—they redraw it.

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Ukraine Paves the Way for Pirate Site Blocking, Despite Ongoing War

https://torrentfreak.com/ukraine-paves-the-way-for-pirate-site-blocking-despite-ongoing-war/

Ukraine Moves Toward Pirate Site Blocking—Even Amid War

While Ukraine is busy defending its sovereignty, it’s quietly getting serious about online piracy—and taking cues from the EU to do it.

For years, Ukraine was labeled a piracy hotspot by U.S. and industry groups, landing it on the USTR’s “Special 301” watchlist. But with war raging since 2022, enforcement took a back seat—until now. In a 25-page update submitted for the 2026 report, Ukraine outlined sweeping copyright reforms, including a plan to adopt Article 8(3) of the EU Copyright Directive, paving the way for court-ordered blocking of infringing sites.

Here’s what stands out:

• 🛑 Site blocking, though framed around website operators and hosts rather than ISPs directly.
• 📜 Broader reforms aligning with EU norms—like 70-year copyright terms and better compensation for creators.
• 🎯 A parallel effort via WIPO ALERT, which blocks pirate sites’ ad revenue—and has already blacklisted 15 sites in 2025 alone.

Notably, Ukraine’s Clear Sky initiative has already blocked over 570 sites under national security grounds (mostly pro-Russian media), proving the technical and legal machinery can work.

The irony? The U.S., despite pressing others to act, still lacks federal site-blocking authority—even as new bills like Rep. Lofgren’s FADPA linger in committee.

Ukraine’s message is clear: We’re fighting two wars—one on the frontlines, one in cyberspace. And it’s winning both.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

GC Ultimate 2 Gamepad

https://retrorgb.com/gc-ultimate-2-gamepad.html

The GC Ultimate 2 Is Here—And It’s Almost Too Much Controller

The legendary GC Ultimate controller gets a serious upgrade with the Ultimate 2, now live on Kickstarter. Devoted GameCube fans (and perfectionists with thumbs) will love what’s new:

• 🎨 More colorways than your high school art class
• 📡 Upgraded wireless chip (hello, low latency!)
• 🔌 Wired-only mode for competitive play or battery anxiety
• 🎮 Switch 2 compatibility—yes, that Switch 2
• 🔧 Upgrade kit for owners of the original Ultimate

Priced at $75 (basic) or $115 (full wired/wireless kit), delivery is expected by year’s end. For context: Beast—a longtime RetroRGB contributor and certified controller wizard—calls it “the most godlike GameCube controller I’ve used.” High praise.

If you’re into pro-tier gear, customization, and nostalgia with a side of future-proofing, this might be your next obsession.

👉 Back the Kickstarter here

🎧 Bonus: Check out Beast’s controller deep-dive video if you’re into that kind of nerdery.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Rewind Roundup #2: Sony’s Big Week

https://retrohandhelds.gg/rewind-roundup-2/

Retro Rewind #2: Sony’s Big Week — A Bonanza of Remasters, Resurrections & Rumors

This week in retro gaming felt like a publisher’s archive dump—every corner of PlayStation’s vault scoured, some secrets finally revealed, others barely buried beneath hype. Let’s break it down.

🎮 Metal Gear Solid 4 Is Free at Last

After years of PS3-only purgatory thanks to its finicky Cell architecture, MGS4: Guns of the Patriots is finally escaping with Konami’s Master Collection Vol. 2 (Aug 27). Paired with Peace Walker and Ghost Babel, it’s the closest thing to a complete series reissue we’ve ever seen—complete with save states, filters, and modern UI. The community’s collective sigh of relief echoes across Reddit.

💀 Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered

Yes, that obscure 2003 cult hit. The remaster drops March 3—and the Deluxe Edition includes a playable demo of Dark Prophecy, the famously cancelled sequel. For lore geeks, this is like finding a lost episode of The Office.

🎨 Digital Eclipse Does Rayman Right

Their Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition (Feb 13) is the definitive version: five versions of the original, 120 bonus levels, Héral’s reimagined score, and even a never-shipped prototype. It’s not just an update—it’s a love letter to platforming history.

🔥 And Then There Were Dinos

The Steam re-release of Dino Crisis 1 & 2 is a minor miracle after years in licensing limbo. Flawed? Sure. But finally on PC—and playable with a few community patches—is huge for Capcom fans.

Nintendo surprised everyone too, reportedly skipping Switch Online for new Pokémon remasters—a sign they might diversify how retro content lands post-subscription fatigue.

And while AC4: Black Flag’s remake is still “leaked” (art book pre-orders, cough), one thing’s certain: Sony and others aren’t just mining nostalgia—they’re building a whole museum out of it.

What retro title should they dig up next? Let us know before another Gears of War port drops.