A new crowdfunding campaign was posted to make the VM2, what they’re calling a “next-gen” version of the ill-fated Sega Dreamcast’s iconic pocket memory card and gaming handheld.
The Indiegogo campaign for the VM2 is nearly halfway through its run and has already amassed 130% of its funding goal – so this thing is going to happen.
Coming in classic Dreamcast white or a black variant, the new iteration of Sega’s last console hardware tech has been definitely upgraded. The VM2 comes with a “higher-resolution” LCD screen (the original was only 48×32) complete with backlighting (not in the original), microSD card storage, and a rechargeable battery! You’ll be able to recharge this thing with USB-C.
Furthermore, as the Dreamcast has a well-known homebrew and post-funeral pipeline of games released for the console to this day, the new handheld will also support mini-games and even streaming games to PC with its own custom GUI for Windows. The new device is seemingly being produced by one man in Greece, Chris Daioglou.
Here’s a product blurb:
The VM2 project aims in the total reproduction and upgrade of the original VMU for our beloved Dreamcast. The VMU was one of the greatest console’s assets, but with many design flaws. Now, with the VM2, all of these flaws are eliminated giving the user an experience that truly feels like next-gen! Internally, the VM2 received a totally fresh design with modern electronics. Externally, it is upgraded and at the same time keeps the original looks & feels, as a homage to the original VMU.
Features & Upgrades
- New monochrome backlit LCD
- Higher screen resolution
- Micro-SD storage
- Internal storage of 128KB (200 blocks)
- Embedded High-capacity battery
- USB-C port (for charging & connecting to a PC)
- Original Audio support
- DreamEye support
- Original language support (EN/JP)
- LCD game images streaming to PC
Backers can expect the VM2 to start shipping sometime in summer 2023.
