In recent days, following a wave of reports from various news outlets, Ayaneo did something unexpected: they removed an announcement from the Indiegogo page of their Ayaneo Flip project. The sudden deletion led many to assume the handheld devices had been scrapped altogether. Now, Ayaneo has stepped in to clear up the confusion. They stated that despite how it seemed, the Ayaneo Flip KB and Flip DS are not facing the axe.
Here’s what actually happened: Ayaneo did pause the production of the Flip series, but only after 98% of the pre-ordered units had been dispatched. That left just 18 unshipped orders. So, the project still meets the criteria for refunds or trade-ins, as we previously discussed.
Crucially, the Ayaneo Flip series hasn’t been axed. The company is planning to roll out another batch, consisting of several hundred more units, within the next three months. They’ve even hinted that future models, notably the Flip DS 2 and Flip KB 2, might be on the horizon. Given the growing popularity of handheld gaming devices with foldable and slidable keyboards, my two cents would be to focus on the Flip DS model. But that’s just me musing.
This update is great news for those who fancied the Ayaneo Flip but were reluctant to jump on the crowdfunding bandwagon. Fortunately, a retail release will move forward with a limited restock plan. We’re still waiting for a firm date on when these restocked Ayaneo Flip units will hit the shelves. Judging by the interest generated by the campaign, they could sell out quickly once available.
Let’s hope the restock satisfies real fans, leaving little room for scalpers to meddle. The unique design of the Ayaneo Flip KB and especially the Flip DS, combined with their impressive specs, make them quite the standout compared to other portable gaming devices out there. It’s refreshing to see them get a second chance before the inevitable successors grab the spotlight.
However, for those 18 backers who haven’t received their units yet, the options seem limited. They’ll have to decide between getting a refund or trading in for a different Ayaneo device, and this decision, based on earlier communication, should happen by March 27. Ayaneo says they’ve already reached out to those affected customers.
Let’s hope everything smooths out and that these intriguing devices find their way to the hands of eager gamers soon enough.
