Retro Computers Ltd has announced that the ZX Spectrum Vega Plus, the handheld edition of its 8-bit revival line, is scheduled to launch on October 20th at an event for press, backers and supporters. The machine will therefore miss its estimated launch date of September, but not by a great deal.

The machine was successfully funded on IndieGoGo in March this year, raising £436,930 with machines offered at £100 each. As with the original, the system is set to offer 1,000 built-in games and can be connected to your TV, but the ZX Spectrum Vega Plus is set to offer a number of improvements over the original TV plug-and-play model, including external keyboard connection and an LCD screen.

Speculation over the fate of the machine was rampant earlier in the year due to the departure of Retro Computers Ltd directors Paul Andrews and Chris Smith, who stated that there were “irreconcilable differences” between them and remaining director David Levy. Levy released a statement in March claiming that the former directors had been acting in a manner which provided a conflict of interest by attempting to fund a second, competing device. However, the ongoing business drama seems not to have affected the development of the ZX Spectrum Vega Plus.

We’ll let you know what we think of the machine when we get hold of one. In the meantime, to find out more about the ZX Spectrum Vega Plus, visit the Retro Computers Ltd website.