It includes a built-in CD drive, while separate add-ons known as Element Modules provide support for cartridge-based games.

[1] It would be produced by RetroBlox, Inc,[2] a Los Angeles-based company founded by Bryan Bernal and Eric Christensen,[3] both former employees at Insomniac Games.

There, he purchased numerous PC Engine games, but was disappointed in the number of console modifications needed to make them run on a modern HD television.

[12][13] Playmaji started taking pre-orders in September 2018, but the console's official website went off-line for several days following high traffic and a DDoS attack.

[11][5] The hardware design phase was finished in early 2019, although the console's release was expected to be impacted by a supply shortage of 14nm chips.

[26] In February 2023, Playmaji announced plans to eventually launch the Polymega App, a free application allowing users to play their saved games on a personal computer.

[35][26] Playmaji also produces a lineup of classic controllers for each module, featuring a design similar to their original counterparts.

[42] The Polymega utilizes Linux,[4][34] and is emulation-based, using legally licensed software such as Kega Fusion, MAME, Mednafen, and Mesen, all modified by Playmaji.

[33][48] Bernal considered the Dreamcast as a likely cutoff point, saying in 2018 that Playmaji does not intend to support GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, or any newer consoles.

The removal of FPGA provided more internal space for a higher clock-speed dual core chip, allowing for compatibility with more-demanding consoles such as Saturn, Dreamcast, and Nintendo 64.

[43][5] Prior to that point, Bernal said that some consoles, particularly the N64, would not be supported for the time being due to legal challenges, including patents which had yet to expire.

[35] The console contains 32 GB, and includes slots for SD cards and M.2 SSD, providing additional storage for archived games.

[26][34] Initially, the Polymega was to include a video game live streaming option through YouTube and Twitch,[6][3] but this feature was removed in 2018.

[43][5] Playmaji releases periodic system updates for the console,[23] for instance to offer support for previously incompatible games.

[39] Damien McFerran of Nintendo Life offered particular praise for the Saturn emulation, and wrote that "there's nothing else quite like this machine on the market – and It looks set to become a highly desirable piece of hardware for retro fans".