Retroid stops pre-sales of the Pocket 6 after fan criticism

Retroid is one of the most popular brands in Android gaming handhelds, but it seems like every new product the company releases is immediately mired in controversy. The highly anticipated Pocket 6, which follows the fan-favorite Pocket 5, has once again proven this true, as it has now been pulled from pre-sale after less than a day.

While fans are pleased with the pricing and the upgraded Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, the physical design of the handheld has been met with widespread disapproval in the community. The new row of buttons beneath the screen, which gives it a more retro look, reduces the overall screen-to-body ratio, and some feel that it’s a step backwards.

Additionally, many fans are questioning Retroid’s decision to keep the D-pad on top. Typically, more retro-oriented handhelds have the D-pad on top to accommodate older games, but the Pocket 6 is more than powerful enough to play more modern console emulation, which tends to favor stick-based controls. Given the compact nature of the device, it could be uncomfortable to shift your thumb down to use the sticks.

Currently, Retroid is running polls on its official Discord and X accounts, and while there are fans on both sides of the issue, the majority favor removing the buttons from the bottom and shifting the joystick above the D-pad. As a result, Retroid has ceased pre-sales of the Pocket 6 while it undergoes a redesign.

This is a very unusual move for any company, especially since it’s already taken pre-order money from customers. However, the company did something similar with the Pocket 5, when it was initially announced with 6GB of RAM, before fan complaints prompted the company to increase it to 8GB. It’s also possible that the pre-sales of the Pocket 6 were so disappointing that the company felt it had to take action to turn things around.

For what it’s worth, the redesign fans are asking for would make it very similar to existing handhelds, such as the Odin 2 or even the KONKR Pocket FIT. The D-pad focus was one of the main features that made the Retroid Pocket 5 unique in a market that has been saturated over the past few years.

Then again, the company is still selling the Pocket G2, with no plans to adjust its design. That could be the D-pad-focused alternative that fans are looking for. Nothing has been confirmed, but the company has floated the idea of selling two versions of the Pocket 6 to appease fans on both sides, although this would further complicate its late-2025 lineup.

For now, we don’t know when the Pocket 6 will be released, or whether it will maintain its initial January shipping date. At this point it’s looking like Retroid will make serious changes to the design, so stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks.