RetroN 5 is officially a thing, apparently

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Isn't [the design of the NES dpad] just protected by patents? I wasn't aware that those could be renewed. And using Google just now, it seems like a lot of people are under the same impression I had. It was only protected by patents and said patents have now expired.

Yes, that specific patent has expired. However, it was renewed each and every time Nintendo brought out a new console with the same cross design for the dpad. That patent is now currently for the WiiU and 3DS which still use the same design. Hyperkin can't copy it without risking legal action.

Yes, but how many of them are aware of the Retron 5? How many of those would be aware of the Retron 5 if they didn't have a friendship with you?

I bet a large number of people who will eventually buy a Retorn5 will have never heard of it until they come across one in a store, just like the NeoGeoX Gold and Atari Flashbacks.

I may be underestimating the casual demand here, but one thing that we haven't mentioned much is the wide price disparity between this and competing products. Why should the average Joe that dug some cartridges out of his attic pick the most expensive clone system to play them on even if a $100 price tag isn't necessarily a major deterrent to such customers?

Convenience and space reduction. Those regions are BIG. Most people don't want five consoles with five connections and five power supplies. They want one console that does it all. The biggest analogy is the Ouya, which is a tiny little rubix cube sized thing that does a whole lot of things.