One of the most iconic and important computers of the 1980s is set to make a comeback. An all-new Commodore 64 is planned for release later this year.
The announcement comes after YouTuber Christian Simpson (AKA Peri Fractic) successfully purchased the Commodore name. He also acquired trademarks, patents, and licenses in June.
Simpson paid in the “low seven figures” for Commodore. He hasn’t wasted any time revealing the company’s initial plans. The first thing on the agenda is seemingly the relaunch of the much-loved C64.
Called the Commodore 64 Ultimate, the new version will come in three variants. These variants are Basic Beige, Starlight Edition, and the Founders Edition. They each essentially do the exact same thing but have different lighting/colour effects.
The Basic Beige model looks exactly like the C64 of the 80s, save for some new, modern ports and capabilities. The Starlight Edition is transparent. It contains LED lighting that can change colours. The Founders Edition is also transparent. It glows in gold and features 24k gold badges and a holographic serial number sticker.
Only 6,400 units of the latter will be made, so it’s a true collector’s edition.
The computer itself is essentially identical with each version. It will be able to play the 10,000+ C64 games available today. It has more RAM than the original. You can also use the optional 48 MHz Turbo mode.
Those games can be stored on just about anything. They can be on the old discs, cartridges, tapes, or even just run from USB storage.
The C64 Ultimate comes with a USB that looks like an old cassette. It is filled with more than 50 games. You can just use a file browser to load and play them. A brand-new game is being made for the machine’s launch. It is a sequel to Jupiter Lander: Ascension (Commodore’s first ever game).
In terms of specs, the Commodore 64 Ultimate will support 1080p out over HDMI, plus three USB-A 2.0 ports and one USB-C. There’s a microSD card slot too for expansion. Wi-Fi is built in along with Ethernet for wired internet connectivity.
All three models are available to preorder on the official Commodore webpage right now. The Basic Beige version is priced at an early bird bonus of $299.99 / £223.89 / €257.99 / AU$458.98.
The Starlight Edition is $349.99/ £261.09 / €300.99 / $535.48, while the Founders Edition is the priciest, at $499.99 / £372.99 / €429.99 / AU$764.98. The first batch of machines is rapidly selling out. It’s proving to be very popular. They are expected to ship from October/November.
It’s not the first reissue of the Commodore 64. That was TheC64 from Retro Games in 2022. However, it’s from the all-new Commodore company. Hopefully that makes it as authentic as can be.
