In Russia, artisanal production of modern cartridges for Dendy has been set up, and the legendary magazine "Dendi" has been reissued.
Independent publisher "Console Patrol" presented an extensive retro exhibition featuring physical media at the "Igroprom" festival in "Skolkovo", shifting attention away from ongoing industry debates over digital services and repeated release postponements. The centerpiece of the display included a refreshed lineup of collectible cartridges for 8-bit and 16-bit systems, a relaunched gaming periodical, and a mascot figurine of the elephant Dendy, which drew significant visitor attention within the exhibition space.
Modern hand-assembled cartridges built on upgraded printed circuit boards formed the core technical highlight of the stand. Rather than reproducing the typical pirated copies associated with the 1990s, the team prepared modified editions of well-known games featuring substantial gameplay alterations. Visitors could examine the action title TMNT: Shredder RE-Revenge, which runs on the Streets of Rage 2 engine, along with the expanded Aladdin Final Cut 2019, a refined take on Robocop vs The Terminator, and a limited 8-bit collection titled Felix the cat. These physical releases carry price tags between 3,700 and 4,700 rubles, placing them nearly on par with the cost of contemporary big-budget titles.
Alongside the cartridge lineup, the publisher revealed plans to bring back the heritage of classic domestic gaming journalism. The festival hosted the debut of the first issue of the people's glossy magazine Pro Dendy No. 1, produced with involvement from former contributors to the iconic 1990s publication "The Great Dragon". The magazine is intended to safeguard the historical legacy of video games, presenting archival materials, thorough analytical pieces, and an authentic retro layout that disregards current digital design conventions.
Collectors showed particular enthusiasm for the author's magazines in the "Personal File" line, each devoted to a specific franchise including "RoboCop", "Aladdin", "James Pond", and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", alongside the themed newspaper "Death Sport". Dmitry Korostylev, executive secretary of the publishing house, stated that no additional reprints of earlier issues are scheduled. As a result, the remaining copies, priced from 1,000 rubles, are being offered on a strict scarcity basis at the exhibition stand itself.