ModRetro Sells Handheld Made Of The Same Metal As Attack Drones

"ModRetro, a company that makes retro handhelds and consoles that play older games and that's run by Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, has announced a new Chromatic device it's making in collaboration with Luckey's other professional endeavor: defense tech company Anduril Industries. The limited-edition handheld's big selling point is that it's made from the same metal Anduril uses to create its attack drones. Gross."

"The $349.99 Anduril Chromatic + Porta Pro Bundle includes the handheld, headphones, and a charm of Anduril's logo. The listing says that the device is made from the "same magnesium aluminum alloy as Anduril's attack drones" and that if you're looking for a retro gaming system that offers "performance and reliability under any and all conditions, there is no other option." What kind of combat zone does ModRetro think people are playing in that they need something military-grade to play their games on?"

"While we can speculate about what kind of environment someone might play a retro handheld gaming system in, this is ultimately the latest effort from a glorified arms dealer responsible for making weapons used in acts of war to cozy up to the retro gaming community. The video game industry and the military-industrial complex have long been deeply connected in ways too numerous to count, joining forces to use games and live-streaming platforms to try to increase military recruitment among Gen Z,"

ModRetro, run by Palmer Luckey, announced a limited-edition Chromatic handheld made in collaboration with defense firm Anduril Industries and marketed as built from the same magnesium-aluminum alloy used for Anduril attack drones. The $349.99 Anduril Chromatic + Porta Pro Bundle includes the handheld, headphones, and an Anduril logo charm and promises "performance and reliability under any and all conditions." Critics describe the product as gross and fetishistic for linking retro gaming hardware to military-grade materials. The release surfaced alongside concerns about ties between gaming, live-streaming, and military recruitment efforts aimed at Gen Z, prompting backlash from retro gamers and historians.

Read at Kotaku