Back in 2018, SNK capitalized on the retro gaming boom kickstarted by Nintendo"s NES Classic Mini with the release of the Neo Geo Mini, a miniature arcade machine that sold out very quickly upon launch. Now, the company appears to be trying to do it again with a new console launching in 2021.
SNK took to Twitter to announce that a new console is in the works, with a goal to "bridge the gap between passionate fans and console gaming enthusiasts". It"s not really clear what the company means by that, but SNK games definitely have a legacy and a passionate fanbase for many of its franchises.
A brand-new console is coming from SNK in 2021!
— SNK GLOBAL (@SNKPofficial) December 15, 2020
A system to bridge the needs between passionate fans and console gaming enthusiasts! #SNK pic.twitter.com/wsFLqr0hti
There is something that can be gleaned from the announcement tweet, though. Between the use of a Wi-Fi-like symbol and the tagline "who is the best player?", it"s fair to assume that some sort of online functionality is at play here. Whether that involves real-time multiplayer titles or online leaderboards is up in the air, however.
Aside from that, there really isn"t much in the way of information about the console. The Neo Geo Mini was mostly a way to relive some of the company"s classic arcade titles, but there are some SNK franchises that still get new releases, or that have had more recent entries since the prime era of arcade games. It"s possible that some of those titles will be available here, or that brand-new games will be developed for the platform. Again, that"s all speculation, and we"ll have to wait for the company to share more details at some point in the future.