An Interview with ModRetro CEO Torin Herndon: Future of Gaming and Consumer Electronics
Tae Kim
· Key Context by Tae Kim
· July 16, 2026 at 04:40
· ⏱ 19 min read
| Read on Substack ↗
Summary
The article argues that the modern gaming experience has degraded due to patches, microtransactions, and digital-only models, and that retro physical gaming—exemplified by ModRetro's Chromatic—offers a friction-free, premium alternative. For markets, this suggests a potential shift in consumer preference toward high-quality physical products and away from digital-only platforms, which could pressure companies like Sony that are eliminating physical games, though no direct trades are actionable.
•Sony announced it will discontinue physical production for all new PlayStation games starting January 2028, sparking backlash about game ownership and preservation.
•ModRetro's Chromatic is a pixel-by-pixel accurate Game Boy recreation (160x144) with a custom LCD, magnesium shell, PBT buttons, and zero-blur visuals.
•The Chromatic boots in seconds with no menus, patches, or updates—just insert a cartridge and play.
•ModRetro CEO Torin Herndon co-designed the Chromatic with one other person in six months, using a vertically integrated approach with all components custom.
•The M64 (Nintendo 64) console, launching later in July 2026, promises faster boot, fanless design, and under-one-frame lag with a custom AV adapter for CRT output.
•A Game Boy Advance console is in deep development with a pixel-accurate display that replicates the GBA's non-traditional pixel layout and refresh direction.
•Herndon criticizes the 'enshittification' of hardware and software, citing smart TVs that scan screens every 20 seconds for data collection as an example.
•Tae Kim explicitly states he is 'extremely bullish on ModRetro' and compares the company's product taste to Steve Jobs, predicting expansion into TVs and headphones.