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December 18th, 2015 
Carl Williams 
In my other article I detail the current Coleco naming cluster and this new Coleco Chameleon console. Basically, the Coleco that is licensing out the name is Coleco Holdings, not the same company that launched the ColecoVision in the 1980’s. No, this is a new company that is a subsidiary of River West Brands. Anyhow, with that out of the way, we need to take a look at the rest of this situation. You see, the Coleco Chameleon is not all too new. It was previously known as the RETRO Video Game System, as our regular readers will already know. There are a few changes to this “new” Coleco console though that separate it from the RETRO VGS, besides the name.
I have covered the storied history of the RETRO Video Game System for a long time now. The evidence is here on Retro Gaming Magazine. For those that are new to this saga, let me give you a brief history lesson (full details are available in the articles linked to above).
Mike Kennedy started a website and print magazine called RETRO Magazine. They have seen two successful Kickstarter campaigns (here and here) so far. Mike purchased the molds for the Atari Jaguar case and for the cartridges. He planned on using those molds to create the first cartridge based home console in about 20 years (pay attention to the wording there, folks, it is key in this saga). Mike and his team (at the time John Carlson, Steve Woita and Mike Kennedy) attempted an IndieGoGo campaign. This failed miserably- less than 300 people backed it. Leading up to the campaign we saw posts, and comments in interviews, from Mike stating that there would be about 20 games available with the console Kickstarter (notice the change there?). Not only did they not go with Kickstarter for the crowdfunding campaign, they also didn’t have “about” 20 games available (unless 6 or so is considered “close” to 20).
Image Source: RETRO VGS Facebook
The RETRO Video Game Systems Inc (as they are now called) team fell silent after the abysmal showing on IGG. Until now.
Purportedly they are working with Coleco to launch the newly rebranded Coleco Chameleon- previously known as the RETRO VGS. As detailed in my other article here on Retro Gaming Magazine, this is not the Coleco that they are claiming it to be, rather this is a subsidiary of an investment group. As evidenced in my other article, a developer that is close to the RVGS team (his company was making the pack-in title) has stated that this agreement is nothing more than a license to use the name “Coleco” on this console.
Image source: RETRO VGS Facebook
Now, onto the point of this article. The renders that we have seen, as released by the RVGS team on their Facebook page. First, the 9 pin “retro” controller ports are gone. That means you are no longer going to be able to use a Sega Genesis or Atari 2600 controller “straight out of the box” on the Coleco Chameleon. You will have to purchase an adapter to use your original retro controllers with this console. Much like the Retro Freak though, I am sure there will be adapters that are branded “Coleco Chameleon” available for a nominal fee. In the place of the 9 pin connectors is now a set of four USB ports.
There are no renders of what the cartridges may look like. The only time we have seen those was in the, failed, IGG campaign and when Mike was selling cartridge shells on AtariAge. There is no word, so far, if the cartridge design will change in any significant manner.
Image source: RETRO VGS IndieGoGo campaign
The Coleco Chameleon/RETRO Video Game Systems Inc team really need to look at how consoles have been launched in the past. How many showed off the console only, or in this case just renders, but nothing on the games? None. They have all shown games first and then had big console reveals later. Gamers won’t get excited over the console design- why would they? It is the games that will sell a system. Always the games. Remember that.
I have to retract some of that statement. Only the Konix Multisystem showed off the console and controllers, almost exclusively, over showing the actual games. Can anyone reading this name ANY of the games that were eventually shown for the Konix Multisystem? For those that don’t know, the Konix Multisystem was never released, it turned out to be vaporware.
As this story develops you can rest assured I will be there collecting and collating information and preparing it for you right here on Retro Gaming Magazine.
If you are connected with the Coleco Chameleon, making games for it or whatever and wish to talk, contact me. You can remain anonymous. I am only interested in getting the true information out the readers.
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Thank you for writing about these poopyheads.
Thank you for reading and showing support. Keep that up and I will keep chasing the hard hitting stories. Deal?
There’s no way I can look away from this never ending source of amusement and amazement.
It nearly is endless if you were to follow the links and read up on all of the forum posts on this. Just on AtariAge it is nearly 200 pages long in one thread on this thing (and there are multiple threads in various categories). Exhausting. lol
The ever continuing saga of the RVGS/Chameleon. I find the name Chameleon ironic given how many times the company has changed its mind about the console’s future. True, it isn’t perfectly fitting, but it’s highly amusing. I wonder if, at the end of it all, there will be enough to fill a book.
Personally, I think enough has happened already to fill a book. Not a particularly large book, but a book nonetheless.
I have personally written over 30,000 words here on RGM about this saga so far. Does that count as a book?
I’d say so. XD