I have no cause to use one, but I want one.
If there’s one company whose vibe totally meshes with the world of Cyberpunk 2077, it’s that of Commodore. The home computing pioneer’s boxy machines surely inspired the cyberdecks used by all good netrunners back in the day. It’s why this tie-up between the new Commodore and CD Projekt Red (CDPR) makes as much sense now as it would have done in 1984… or 2077.
The pair have teamed up to make the Commodore 77, a version of the Commodore 64 Ultimate styled as if it was a relic from Night City itself. Its yellow breadbox case is dinged up and marked with graffiti, there’s a metal plate on the function row and half-removed stickers. Even the boot screen has been redesigned to better suit its new dystopian aesthetic. If it wasn’t for the etched logo on the front, it would be easy to imagine this as something that fell out of the game.
Commodore
Fans of 2K77 might be excited to learn it ships with a demo containing an “experience” which “expands the lore of the Cyberpunk universe.” The demo was created by Polish C64 group Arise with a soundtrack from chiptune artist LukHash. It’ll also ship on an “Arasaka”-design cartridge. Buyers will also find a new custom neon power light, stickers, pins, collectible packaging and a themed spiral-bound user guide.
If you’re unfamiliar, Commodore was resurrected by YouTuber Christian “Perifractic” Simpson, with its first product being the 64 Ultimate. It’s an FPGA-recreation of the original model with a real keyboard, HDMI, USB and WiFi that’s backwards-compatible with original C64 accessories. The new models are even made from the original injection mold tooling, and is available in either its original beige “breadbin” shape or the more Amiga-esque C64C. And, from nothing but looks alone, it looks a damn sight better than TheC64Mini for those looking to tickle their nostalgia glands.
The Commodore 77 is available to pre-order for $377 at Commodore.net, but there’s no date yet set on when you’ll be able to take ownership.
