The Neo Geo+ Will Be "Better Than Emulation" Says Modding Legend Furrtek

Key Points:

• Plaion is collaborating with SNK to produce a Neo Geo AES replica called the Neo Geo+, which uses newly manufactured chips designed to replicate the original hardware without software emulation or FPGA approximation.
• The chips are re-engineered to modern standards to natively play both new and old game cartridges, aiming to deliver an authentic retro gaming experience.
• FPGA specialists Jotego and Furrtek are reportedly involved in developing these chips, with Furrtek expressing optimism about the Neo Geo+ potentially being the best hardware since SNK ceased manufacturing.
• However, some experts like FPGA developer Pramod Somashekar criticize the approach, suggesting it is a "bait and switch" that breaks a MiSTer core design into multiple ASICs, which lack the dynamic reconfigurability of FPGAs and cannot be updated if errors occur.
• This debate highlights differing opinions on the hardware's authenticity and future-proofing, with concerns about the inability to patch or improve the system post-release due to its ASIC-based design.