Analogue will crack down on scalpers when Pocket orders reopen

Retro gaming fans get more chances to order Analogue's Pocket this year. The portable console that can play Game Boy, Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket Color and Atari Lynx games from original cartridges first went up for pre—order last year and was sold out within a few minutes. The company delayed its release to May 2021 due to the “unfortunate global state of affairs and supply chain challenges," but it has published a new announcement assuring interested buyers that it's selling more units in the future.

At the moment, Pocket's status on Analogue's website is still "Out of Stock," with the option to get a notification when it becomes available. Analogue's announcement makes it clear that it truly will be available for purchase again, and that status isn't permanent. Pocket isn't a limited edition device, it wrote, and "[m]ore Pockets will be available for purchase in 2021." Also, the company is taking steps to prevent bots and scalpers from snapping up units and selling them at inflated prices.

To start with, it vows to implement robust bot protection on its store. All orders placed by bots, which typically happens when a product first goes up for pre-order or sale, will be canceled. Further, the company will monitor websites like eBay for listings that resell pre-orders and will report them to the e-commerce platforms directly. It will also cancel all pre-orders listed for resale. While Analogue didn't say when Pocket will be available for purchase again exactly, it's encouraging interested buyers to sign up for a notification for now.