Neo Geo AES+: Another Collectible?
There is far too much noise around the AES+. And I honestly dread what December is going to look like, when every influencer starts explaining how wonderful the Neo Geo is, and how incredible it is to be able to buy, or buy again, games that have already been available almost everywhere for years, and that, in reality, not that many people actually play.
And there is a reason for that: if what you want is a system that really “delivers games,” the Neo Geo is not necessarily the ideal choice. It is a fascinating machine, obviously, but also a very peculiar one. Its games are often quite harsh, deeply arcade-driven in their philosophy, not especially focused on long-form solo experiences, and built around a library that is ultimately fairly limited, especially if you set aside sequels, variants, and the same major names coming back again and again.
The Neo Geo will always remain a niche system for arcade enthusiasts. And that is not a criticism: it is almost its definition. But we should not confuse the prestige of the machine with the idea that it could somehow magically become a living, widely played platform again.
In my view, the apparently very real success of the pre-orders will mostly create a brutal comedown in early 2027, once the hype has faded, once many buyers have played Metal Slug or Garou for five minutes, and then placed their cartridges on a shelf, where they will spend more time being looked at than actually used.
In that sense, I mostly see the AES+ as another opportunity to collect. To complete an existing collection, of course, and it is probably no coincidence that the first games being targeted are precisely titles that have become untouchable, or to start a “clean,” new, compatible, prestige collection.
Although, on that last point, we will have to see what happens in the long run. I am curious to see what kind of “legitimate” value these new products will be granted, since they will inevitably be more or less dismissed by some owners of original hardware and software. Which is always rather funny when, at the end of the day, we are talking about industrial products. And even about video games: code before plastic, cardboard, or a label.
As for new games on the system, I do not really believe in it beyond the occasional splash, if we are lucky. Developing for the Neo Geo is not simple. Just because the machine is old and 2D does not mean everything suddenly becomes easy or cheap. You need tools, time, experience, a real understanding of the hardware, and above all a very heavy graphical production if you want to live up to the image people have of the Neo Geo.
For a system to have a true second active life, it needs more than a beautiful object and a handful of prestigious reissues. It needs a homebrew scene, accessible tools, simple documentation, and a low barrier to entry. That is what allows machines like the Game Boy, the NES, or the Mega Drive to keep receiving new projects. On Neo Geo, we are very far from that kind of simplicity.
And when it comes to professional studios, making a big Neo Geo game in 2026 does not necessarily make much economic sense. A “real” Neo Geo game, with today’s expectations, is not just three sprites and two backgrounds. It means animation, detail, optimization, gameplay that has to be modernized without betraying the arcade spirit, and a huge level of polish. In short: it is long, expensive, and not necessarily profitable.
And please, let’s not start fantasizing about VS Studio. SNK has never communicated anything in that direction. For now, nothing suggests that this studio is meant to produce AES+ games. We can dream, of course, but every SNK announcement should not be turned into a promise of some miracle.
The AES+ may well be a beautiful machine. It will no doubt please collectors, nostalgic players, and arcade enthusiasts. But we should call things by their name: this is probably not the return of a living Neo Geo ecosystem. It is mainly the return, very well marketed, of a collectible object built around a heritage that is already widely available elsewhere.