Blaze delays C64 and Spectrum handhelds to April 2027

Blaze Entertainment announced a significant delay to two highly anticipated retro handhelds. The C64 Handheld and The Spectrum Handheld, originally scheduled to ship on October 15, 2026, will now launch on April 22, 2027.

In a statement posted to its website, Blaze explained the decision. "During production, we identified areas where the product construction was not meeting our high standards. While we could address some issues quickly and release the products in 2026, we believe taking this additional time is the right decision to give you the best experience possible."

The delay applies to both standard and collector's editions of each device. Standard editions are priced at £109.99, $129.99, or €129.99 each. Collector's editions, limited to 2000 units each, cost £129.99, $149.99, or €149.99. The Collector's editions include a hard shell case and exclusive magazines (Crash for the Spectrum, Zzap for the C64) and are available exclusively through Funstock.co.uk and Funstock USA.

Each handheld features a 4.3-inch IPS display, clamshell form factor, and comes preloaded with 25 games. Both devices support loading additional games via MicroSD card and can connect to a USB keyboard through a USB-A port. The C64 model has tactile plastic buttons, while the Spectrum model uses rubber buttons.

Blaze noted that this delay does not affect the Evercade Nexus, which remains on track to begin shipping on October 30, 2026. The company thanked customers for their patience, stating: "We know this news will be disappointing, and we'd like to thank you for your patience and continued support."