It's been 2 years since we first got wind of the Hyperkin Mega95, a new dockable handheld that plays actual Sega Genesis/Mega Drive cartridges. It's essentially the Sega version of the Nintendo Switch, with controller ports to hook up gamepads and, more importantly, no FPGA or emulation. It's set to recreate Sega's iconic console on a hardware level - now you know why we've been excited about it.
But since then, news of the handheld has been a little sparse. Hyperkin have been working on some amazing accessories during that time (just check out the AlteronX5 as proof of that), but we've been left wondering whether the Mega95 had been shelved in favour of other ideas.
Well, thanks to an update on X from Hyperkin, we now know that the hardware for the Mega95 is locked in and ready to roll, but it's the software that they're still working on and having problems with.
Quick Mega95 development update for everyone waiting (and asking 👀):
— Hyperkin (@Hyperkin) January 14, 2026
✅ Hardware is locked in and finished.
⚠️ The holdup is software, specifically how the current build is translating game graphics. We’re seeing visual artifacts and occasional tearing, and we’re not okay… pic.twitter.com/PBE0lbk54y
According to the post, there has been a bit of trouble with game graphics, specifically visual artifacts and occasional tearing. 'We’ve been grinding on this for months,' the post goes on to say, 'and it’s the core reason the release has taken longer than any of us wanted. We know that kind of performance is unacceptable, especially for a product built around the feel of classic games.'
I really respect Hyperkin for being up front about this and letting us know where they're at with it. I know that there's a perception that they're a huge team, but they're a much smaller workforce than you think. They value their customers and want to make sure that everything they ship is of a high standard, unlike the E1 handheld that Abxylute shipped to us recently, with its screen hanging off.
Speaking of screens, the Mega95 will boast a 5" IPS display and have around 10 hours of battery life from a full charge. I would imagine that we'll be seeing it in action very soon too, as Hyperkin have assured that they expect to have a new software build to test soon. Once they're fully happy with how things are running, they'll begin the production process and make it available to the public.
So, good news if you've been waiting for an update on the Mega95 since we first wrote about it - it's happening, and it won't be long until we see it playing actual games. As always, I'll update this article with more information as and when I get it!
