RetroPixl 2026: midyear review, plenty more to play

Halfway through a special year

2026 is already an important year for RetroPixl. After entering the year with a new identity and a renewed focus on what has always driven us, retro gaming, Japanese consoles, and the people who collect them, the first half of the year has been about putting that vision into action.

Our Journal has explored everything from the Nintendo Game Boy Light and Twin Famicom to the Neo Geo AES, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2 and the wonderfully unusual Bandai Playdia. Different generations and different ideas, but all part of the same story: preserving and celebrating the machines that make Japanese gaming culture so fascinating.

Going deeper into Japanese retro gaming

One of our priorities this year is to go beyond simply presenting consoles. We want RetroPixl to be a place where players and collectors can understand why they matter, from their history and design to limited editions, unusual accessories and the ideas behind them.

That philosophy also guides our Retro Gaming Collection and Collectors Collection. From familiar icons to machines many players outside Japan may never have encountered, discovery remains a big part of what RetroPixl is about, alongside condition, completeness, originality and the story behind each console. Along the way, we’ve had the chance to find and send some pretty special machines to new homes, from the Famicom AV and a A Ranked Virtual Boy to collector pieces like the Game Boy Pocket Famitsu and the Hi Saturn. Seeing them end up with players and collectors who genuinely appreciate them is a big part of what makes the hunt worthwhile.

More than consoles

Retro gaming culture has never stopped at the console itself. Controllers, memory devices, unusual peripherals and experimental add-ons can tell some of the best stories, which is why our Accessories continue to grow alongside gaming Collectibles connected to the characters, designs and culture surrounding these machines.

Preservation remains just as important. As beautiful complete examples become harder to find, Retro Refurb gives systems that need more attention an opportunity to be enjoyed again, while Find It For Me helps collectors search for those particularly difficult pieces that may never reach our regular catalog.

What to look forward to 

There is still plenty ahead in 2026. More unusual Japanese consoles, collector stories, discoveries and RetroPixl Drops are coming, alongside an expanding selection of Collectibles and Accessories. The RetroPixl Lab will also be developed further after the traction and enthusiasm it has received from the community, opening the door to more ways of celebrating, restoring and reimagining retro gaming culture. And our Journal will keep digging into the machines, people and ideas that shaped gaming in Japan.

Keep Playing & Collecting

Six months in 26', RetroPixl is only getting started. There are more consoles to uncover, more collector stories to share, more surprises to drop and plenty more reasons to keep playing, collecting and rewinding. If the first half of the year is anything to go by, there is a lot more fun ahead. We are also excited to keep expanding the worlds around the consoles themselves, from new collectibles and accessories to fresh ideas coming out of the RetroPixl Lab. And, as always, we will keep hunting for the unusual, the beautiful and the hard-to-find pieces that make this hobby so addictive.

And most importantly, thank you to all our RetroPixlers. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported us, collected with us, shared their passion and become part of the RetroPixl community. You are a big part of what makes all of this worth doing, and we cannot wait to show you what comes next. Play, Collect, Rewind.