Pixie first posted this news in the 68k code density thread which was maliciously spammed by the usual troll and was mostly off topic anyway.

https://amigaworld.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic_id=44169&forum=17&start=420&viewmode=flat&order=0#883102

The NeoGeo AES+console has been big retro gaming news. Where Amigaworld.net has page after page of malicious spam that is never moderated and is otherwise dead, AtariAge.com has a thread with 15 pages of posts about the NeoGeo AES+ and growing.

https://forums.atariage.com/topic/389647-the-neo-geo-aes-thread/

There are claims of NeoGeo AES+ market success already.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lars-wingefors-a366314_as-we-reflect-on-how-neo-geo-aes-has-been-activity-7453047159429472257-WBzW/ Quote:

As we reflect on how Neo Geo AES+ has been received over the past week, it’s hard not to pause for a moment. The reception from the global retro community over the past week has been nothing short of overwhelming. Within the first 24 hours, we took more paid preorders than our entire annual forecasted volume of the Neo Geo AES+. Since then, sales have continued strongly through our own channels, online retailers, and specialist stores. Seeing the console currently ranked #1 on Amazon US across the entire Video Games category is both humbling and deeply inspiring. The team are now updated our production forecasts ahead of the launch Nov 12. But what makes me happiest isn’t the numbers themselves, but what they represent. Neo Geo AES+ is a clear example of how passion, cultural heritage, and business can come together. The retro business is very close to my heart, and there is something special about projects where history is not only preserved but allowed to live on and create new value. In this context, the role of the Embracer Games Archive has been crucial. Its work is a prerequisite for projects like this to even be possible, and I want to particularly highlight the importance of that contribution. A big and heartfelt thank you to 株�会社SNK（SNK CORPORATION） (below picture is when the former SNK CEO Kenji Matsubara-san visiting the archive in Karlstad last year) for trusting us to take this journey in bringing back the Neo Geo AES. When stewarding an iconic brand, genuine trust and a shared long-term vision is vital and that is exactly what this project has been built on. Special thanks to Ben Jones, Martin Lindell, CRAIG MCNICOL and everyone else who made this happen. The continued journey of Neo Geo AES+ particularly the ongoing conversations around which additional titles may follow the first ten releases is something I follow with great anticipation. This truly feels like the beginning of something new. It was long-time ago I got such excited for a new product. Ordered my Ultimate set last friday. Anyone else that has pre-ordered?

Other NeoGeo AES+ related resources follow.

https://presse.plaion.com/en/NEOGEO-AES

Within 24-hours Neo Geo AES+ Preorders surpassed entire yearly estimate
https://www.reddit.com/r/neogeo/comments/1su5xag/within_24hours_neo_geo_aes_preorders_surpassed/

https://www.reddit.com/r/hardware/comments/1sr4zlp/plaion_replay_neogeo_aes_a_hardwareasic_based/

https://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=122681
https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads/new-neo-geo-aes-will-be-released.37134/

https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/retro-gaming/snk-revives-the-mighty-neo-geo-in-modern-form-new-aes-system-plays-classic-games-without-emulation

https://www.timeextension.com/news/2026/04/the-neo-geoplus-will-be-better-than-emulation-says-modding-legend-furrtek

https://www.gamesradar.com/hardware/retro/fpga-dev-claims-the-neo-geo-aes-is-basically-the-mister-core-broken-up-into-separate-chips/

https://www.notebookcheck.net/FPGA-developer-claims-Plaion-s-NeoGeo-AES-is-effectively-a-bait-and-switch.1279381.0.html

https://affectionatediscourse.substack.com/p/the-neo-geo-aes-the-definitive-review

The major tech advancement for retro gaming hardware is the upgrade to using ASICs. Most Mini retro gaming hardware so far, including from Plaion, has used emulation on ARM SoCs which provides the lowest quality in hardware accuracy.

1. ASIC hardware (original hardware mostly used ASICs and now so does the NeoGeo AES+)
2. FPGA simulation (accurate simulation for low performance hardware but expensive vs emulation)
3. emulation usually with ARM SoC

It is interesting that ASICs are used for the low volume NeoGeo but not higher volume retro gaming systems.

Neo Geo AES (Home): ~410,000
Neo Geo CD: ~570,000
Neo Geo Pocket Color: 125,000-200,000
Neo Geo MVS (Arcade): ~1,000,000
---
NeoGeo: ~2,130,000
Genesis/MegaDrive: ~35,000,000 + Sega Genesis Mini: ~1,500,000
Amiga: ~5,000,000-7,000,000
C64: 12,500,000-17,000,000 + C64DTV: 250,000-600,000

The C64DTV designed by Jeri Ellsworth is one of the few ASIC using retro gaming hardware designs. The major reason to use ASICs for the NeoGeo and C64DTV is cost reduction with mass production. Obviously, volumes of millions of units are not required as the C64DTV was considered a commercial success and the NeoGeo AES+ may not reach volumes in the millions either. ASICs can provide a huge performance boost as well as major cost reduction but the C64, Genesis and NeoGeo lose compatibility quickly with performance upgrades while the Amiga/CD32, X68000, Atari ST, 68k Mac and Sinclair QL already support a 68060 which could be clocked to GHz frequencies using a modern ASIC. The value of an ASIC designed just for cost reduction is incomparable to an ASIC that increase performance by many times (NeoGeo: 68000@12MHz to 68000@20MHz vs Amiga: 68000@7MHz to 68060@1-3GHz). Retro gaming fans appear to like the use of ASICs, even though recreations from MiSTer cores rather than original designs, modern features added like HDMI and overclocking capabilities. The cheap money grab days of retro gaming emulation using ARM SoCs may be over as retro gaming fans demand more faithful hardware, which should have been used for at least high volume consoles like the Sega Genesis/MegaDrive and Nintendo (S)NES Minis.

I will now repost some messages from the other Amigaworld.net thread before continuing it.

Repost of https://amigaworld.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic_id=44169&forum=17&start=420&viewmode=flat&order=0#883118

pixie Quote:

Still no Zorram for you, but you may get a new Neo Geo made with new asics. NEOGEO AES+ – Plaion Replai EU https://share.google/JvBX0lmm8wcpKqiZW

If this thread was not vandalized with hate speech and anti-free speech censorship by the mentally ill, the Plaion NeoGeo may be of interest to Amiga fans.

https://plaionreplai.us/pages/faq Quote:

PLAION REPLAI is a brand by PLAION dedicated to bringing classic gaming experiences back to life. Through partnerships with Retro Games Ltd. and Atari, we recreate iconic consoles and accessories with modern technology while preserving their original charm and design.

RGL tried to get Jeri Ellsworth to produce an Amiga ASIC which she had almost completed through reverse engineering after completing a successful C64 ASIC. The primary goal of these ASICs was cost reduction for increased competitiveness which is likely similar for NeoGeo ASIC(s).

https://plaionreplai.us/products/neogeo-aes Quote:

Gameplay on the NEOGEO AES+ is not achieved through emulation - instead the console is powered by its legacy ASIC chips, re-engineered by modern standards to accurately replicate the original machine's hardware and software. The system natively plays game software from both new and old game cartridges for the most authentic retro gaming experience. Not emulation, not FPGA approximation, but true console reincarnation etched back into silicon. ... No emulation - Powered by re-engineered ASIC chips

Affordable FPGAs have no problem accurately simulating a 68000@12MHz and Z80@4MHz. With the large for the time NeoGeo chipset, a FPGA more expensive than ~$10 FPGAs which can be used to simulate a 68000 Amiga is necessary. MiSTer simulation of the NeoGeo is "near-perfect" but the FPGA is relatively large, similar size and cost to the V4SA FPGA. There was supposed to be a $99 MiSTer FPGA board on the way and the 128MiB SDRAM would run another $75. Considering what looks like high quality NeoGeo AES+ hardware, cases and power supply, the $249.99 price seems reasonable, especially considering likely licensing costs. The NeoGeo AES hardware looks like it would offer more value than MiSTer except that this base hardware does not include games which require expensive cartridges and MiSTer can simulate other systems. The NeoGeo may need more modern features than HDMI and "Quality-of-life features" but the console is not nearly as upgradeable as the CD32 with AmigaOS which supports a 68060@100MHz and likely could support a 68060@1-3GHz ASIC SoC allowing semi-modern FPS game ports too. Why settle for a cheap ASIC with minimal feature upgrades when a better ASIC still using affordable auto layout and many modern features can provide so much more value? Why not add features which more easily support other retro hardware at the same time to improve value?

The mentally ill censor will likely spam this thread making this post practically unreadable. He considers my ASIC discussions so absurd and unrealistic that he is doing the Amiga community a favor by censoring me but he may just be doing the opposite and sabotaging the people who could help make it happen. I never considered financing an ASIC to be the obstacle. Post Commodore, it was always the roadblocks and saboteurs of the Amiga that were the problem. For such a friendly computer, the remaining Amiga leaders and community are too often unfriendly and lack cooperation. Many remaining are invested in niche of niche Amiga markets that only divide the Amiga market while sabotaging competitor Amiga camps. The result is horrible value non-faithful niche of niche Amiga hardware transitioning to better value EOL emulation while the smaller market NeoGeo with less than half the number of units sold compared to the Amiga gets better value and "Hardware-faithful reimplementation" hardware using ASICs. Time is running out to Make Amiga Great Again.

Repost of https://amigaworld.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic_id=44169&forum=17&start=440&viewmode=flat&order=0#883130

cdimauro Quote:

I wonder which 68k softcore are they using. Usually those systems require a 100% compatible implementation because games can rely on specific timings. Having a perfect reproduction of a 68000 is mandatory in the "retro market", and this is especially true for our beloved Amiga.

From advertising, I expect there is no "68k softcore" used but rather a 68k core.

https://presse.plaion.com/en/NEOGEO-AES Quote:

Uncompromising gaming machine Gameplay on the NEOGEO AES+ is not achieved through emulation - instead the console is powered by its legacy ASIC chips, re-engineered by modern standards to accurately replicate the original machine's hardware and software. The system natively plays game software from both new and old game cartridges for the most authentic retro gaming experience. Not emulation, not FPGA approximation, but true console reincarnation etched back into silicon.

The "Not emulation, not FPGA approximation, but true console reincarnation etched back into silicon." implies no FPGA simulation in the console, which I interpret as derogatory negative connotations for FPGA simulation. This is propaganda as FPGA simulation can provide as accurate of logic and timing as an ASIC. There is likely no advantage to using ASICs for low clocked CPUs and custom chips in the NeoGeo except to reduce costs for mass production. The ASIC(s) provide a cost advantage over the MiSTer. A 68k Amiga ASIC SoC could provide much more value as even the CD32 has the AmigaOS which already supports a 68060@100MHz with much higher clock speeds possible. The NeoGeo 68000 core does appear to support likely limited "overclocking" though.

https://presse.plaion.com/en/NEOGEO-AES Quote:

Retro gaming of the future While maintaining the original look and feel, the NEOGEO AES+ implements modern-day quality-of-life features such as low-latency HDMI display output (whilst also including the original AV output for CRT enthusiasts), DIP switches for language selection, overclocking and different display modes, and the ability to store permanent High Scores (Memory Card accessory required).

The 68SEC000 CPU is still available from NXP but, as I recall, it used a fully static embedded version of the 68000 core which is incompatible due to "MOVE to SR" becoming privileged. It is too bad NXP did not make the newer 68000 CPUs configurable to select "MOVE to SR" to be privileged or not from supervisor mode. Considering the resurgence of 68k retro hardware, such a 68000 CPU may still be viable today instead of EOL. The NeoGeo AES+ will likely sell hundreds of thousands of units alone. The more popular Sega Genesis/MegaDrive Mini sold over 1.5 million units and could have used a 68000 and small FPGA for chipset if compatible 68000 CPUs were still available in quantity. I doubt the NeoGeo AES+ will reach 1 million units sold due to the high cost of cartridges but I would not be surprised to see half a million unit sales for the NeoGeo and X68000 each. The 68k Amiga market is likely larger than the NeoGeo, X68000, Atari 68k and Mac 68k markets but likely not as large as the Sega Genesis/MegaDrive market. The 68k Amiga, X68000, 68k Atari and 68k Mac markets allow significant upgrades, as they already support the 68060 at much higher clock speeds, which increases the value more. It is likely the NeoGeo AES+ uses a 68000 core in ASIC. Advertisements say "ASIC chips" implying more than one while the best cost reduction would be a single chip 68k ASIC SoC like single chip ARM ASIC SoCs, often used instead with cheap emulation for Mini consoles. The retro competition appears to be heating up. Too bad the Amiga IP squatting road blocks increase uncertainty for the Amiga market and people with foresight who tried to steer Amiga development toward max cost reduction and value mass market 68k ASIC SoCs were not listened to. Amiga developers could have led the way with the use of ASICs but instead we get no Ultimate 68k Amiga. Sadly, there were millions USD spent on niche of niche PPC bastard Amiga markets instead and these Amiga IP squatters still sabotage the much larger 68k Amiga market.

pixie Quote:

for this very same reason, the content i want to put got diluted by his posts, so i wanted to clear the page. Neo Geo is about to launch a neo console based on a new asic, which goes showing somewhat that a new 68k asic could also be possible.

The NeoGeo AES+ is being launched with the collaboration of SNK, the old NeoGeo developer.

https://presse.plaion.com/SNK-and-PLAION-Announce-the-Return-of-the-King-The-NEOGEO-AES-Comes-Ho Quote:

With pre-orders opening today, and the launch date set as 12th November 2026, the NEOGEO AES+ has been produced in collaboration with SNK, the producers of the original hardware.

I expect SNK licensed NeoGeo related IP to Plaion and not much more. It is likely not much different than Amiga Corporation licensing Commodore/Amiga IP to RGL, a partner of Plaion. Amiga IP uncertainty due to hostile Amiga IP squatters and lawsuits means we get cheap emulation using ARM ASIC SoCs instead of 68k Amiga ASICs, not even FPGAs for the Amiga market from pros. The amount of investment often directly correlates to the amount of uncertainty. Amiga is like a 3rd world country with many shenanigans that normal investors and developers avoid.

By the way, you should have started a new thread about the Plaion NeoGeo with ASICs. The few PPC AmigaNOne fanboys do not read this thread and their sabotage of the 68k Amiga turned off the retro 68k Amiga masses killing Amigaworld.net. That leaves only a few 68k Amiga stragglers and many are not interested in development but are more likely to be interested in retro gaming. The healthy AtariAge site has 5 pages of info and comments about the Plaion NeoGeo in contrast.

https://forums.atariage.com/topic/389647-the-neo-geo-aes-thread/

Only Atari makes it possible.