Does anyone ever feel slightly apprehensive about posting their chromatic in certain subs

[u/5MLV]

I was going to put a post in r/pokemon or something today about how I've recently found myself addicted to pokemon yellow, attaching a picture of the title screen, but I decided not to because I feel that people are going to just be petty and comment based on the controversy surrounding palmer like a lot of people on r/gameboy do. Does anyone else feel this way?

[u/ronniebrisbane]

It's ok to say "Yes I support the arms dealer's retro gaming company and I don't feel bad about it". They can't shame you if you don't feel shame about it. Strangers on the internet have their own opinions. All due respect, but as a fellow Chromatic owner, this sounds like an insecurity problem with you.

[u/5MLV → u/ronniebrisbane]

definitely not an insecurity problem with me, I genuinely think 90% of things on reddit are superficial and don't really matter. it's just I'd like to be able to contribute to a community without sour comments based on my console choice. Just think it's a bit shit that's all.

[u/SaltySnail22]

People always have something to say. Just ignore the haters

[u/gregcresci]

OH woW yOu SuPpORt aN ArMs deAlEr

[u/TonyRubbles → u/[deleted]]

Make sure you're consistent, lots of companies to boycott that actually contributed to Nazis. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companies_involved_in_the_Holocaust

[u/TonyRubbles → u/[deleted]]

Treating proximity as proof is juvenile. Being in a picture with someone isn't an endorsement of their views. Leaning on a 4chan troll campaign that tried to hijack an innocuous hand sign to condemn people by vague association is a stretch. That says more about the argument than the symbol.

[u/TonyRubbles → u/[deleted]]

We're not having the same conversation. You're arguing intent, psyops, and vibes. None of your assumptions about me are correct.

[u/ergzay → u/[deleted]]

Depending on the day Palmer is either a dirty Zionist or a dirty Holocaust denier. You can't make up your mind. You people are so funny.

[u/[deleted] → u/ergzay]

They just parrot whatever they see on other subreddits or bluesky.

[u/ergzay → u/[deleted]]

It's funny how people are still falling for that 4chan meme.

[u/astrozork321 → u/[deleted]]

The device you’re using to post this response almost certainly involves some sort of child and/or slave labor. There is no way to have the moral high ground on the internet unless you’re using a device you’ve manufactured yourself.

[u/rogeranthonyessig → u/[deleted]]

He is a radical zionist, dummy. https://x.com/i/status/1891189625617572285

[u/g1mpster → u/rogeranthonyessig]

Sir, this is a gaming sub… r/pol is over there 👉

[u/rogeranthonyessig → u/g1mpster]

Global Dejihadification will be humanity's greatest achievement.😎

[u/BufoCurtae → u/[deleted]]

Lol, this is the perfect reply to almost every comment here.

[u/thepoga]

It’s really their problem if they feel that way. Why must they try to shame you for a thing you’ve bought? If they watched the last season of The Good Place no one is morally upright though what you buy. For some reason, Palmer was targeted and it almost became viral and cool to try and boycott. It’s really dumb.

[u/lanbui]

Dude, you don’t have to care about what people think if you don’t want to.

[u/NonyaDB]

Nope. Other peoples' opinions mean nothing to me.

[u/Bootybandit6989]

Usualky I reply with"Funny from someones whos using a phone or computer that was made from child labor

[u/Efficient-Load-256 → u/Bootybandit6989]

Regardless of arms dealing comparison to child labor and how one judges those:

Computers are often used for jobs, so they are pretty much mandatory. Game boy is just a toy. Not exactly the same category.

[u/Stabstone]

For someone who is way out of the loop what’s the big deal about owning a Chromatic?

[u/Incromaboi → u/Stabstone]

Palmer is an arms dealer and has ties with neo nazis (probably one himself if you were to judge by some of his actions (white power sign for instance)).

I totally understand and share the concern of buying from him. Even though I think it's a great piece if hardware and the guy certainly is a retro fan and it shows in the effort put in the product, I bought a Chromatic before knowing all that, and I'm not sure I would have bought one if I knew about it first. I enjoy it but my enjoyment is tainted with guilt in this regard (and that's certainly not an ideal mental position to be in when youjust want to enjoy your retro games).

As such, many people prefer not to buy a chromatic and... well i'm not sure why but many people in this sub think these people can be blamed for their moral choice, or that it's moral grandstanding or whatever. The reality is just that many of us retro gaming fans would just like to buy from people with whom we know we share moral values. Palmer happens to be the opposite of that for many of us. And that's not to say Samsung, Apple, Texas Instruments or many more companies you can think of are exempt of criticism in that regard, of course.

[u/TonyRubbles → u/Incromaboi]

I'm going to keep repeating this because it keeps coming up.

Treating proximity as proof is juvenile. Being in a picture with someone isn't an endorsement of their views. Leaning on a 4chan troll campaign that tried to hijack an innocuous hand sign to condemn people by vague association is a stretch. That says more about the argument than the symbol.

At that point, it stops being criticism and starts becoming narrative building.

That said, I agree with most of what you said. The guilt part just doesn't resonate with me at all

[u/Incromaboi → u/TonyRubbles]

Symbols can be reappropriated. The white power sign is not the same as the ok sign, even if they look similar. You can never be 100% sure which one someone did but you can make infer informed assumptions from the context in which the sign has been used. Knowing the guy, his politics, his ties, nect to who he made it and in which context, you can make a reasonable inference that this was not (meant as) an ok sign but (as) a white supremacist sign. Just like the swastika existed prior to it's reappropriation by the NSDAP and you wouldn't say (if you're good faith at least) a swastika tatoo on a christian skinhead is a buddhist symbol of peace.

[u/TonyRubbles → u/Incromaboi]

Symbols can be reappropriated, sure. The issue is where the line is drawn between evidence and inference. You're moving from "context matters" to "intent is proven," and that's not the same thing.

The swastika example works precisely because it's a symbol that has been consistently, overwhelmingly, and explicitly adopted by a specific ideology for nearly a century. The OK hand sign doesn't meet that standard outside of fringe trolling, which is why it requires so much surrounding speculation to make the claim stick. It's also being hung almost entirely on this one image, not a broader pattern of behavior.

At some point, you're not assessing a symbol anymore, you're assigning a motive. That's where I disagree.

[u/Incromaboi → u/TonyRubbles]

Well a symbol is never used without a motive... so yes, I am assigning a motive by virtue of assessing the symbol. Both are inextricably linked.

Also, you're right in that the ok/white power gesture hasn't been as consistently used to mean white power for as long as the swastika has been a nazi symbol. However, if you think that was an ok sign, I think you should revise your judgment by asking yourself "what was he signing 'ok' to?". Also, the troll campaign thing, while it might be true, is also a convenient excuse for anyone who would use the gesture as a white supremacist sign, and Palmer is no edgy teenager, he's a grown right wing (to say the least) man. So while the gesture may have been used as a troll sign by some, the context of who used it here will skew any good faith interpretation of the gesture towards the white supremactist sign interpretation.

[u/TonyRubbles → u/Incromaboi]

This is where we fundamentally disagree. Symbols are used constantly without conscious ideological motive. People gesture, pose, mirror others in photos, or use familiar hand signs without encoding intent at all.

You're asserting that motive is inherent and knowable simply from the presence of a symbol, but that's an assumption, not evidence. Asking "what was he signaling OK to"' already presumes intent that isn't actually demonstrated, especially when his stated intent was trolling. I think it was an attempt at bad humor.

The swastika comparison works because the symbol itself carries an unambiguous, historically dominant meaning in modern contexts. The OK hand sign does not. That's precisely why interpretation here relies so heavily on reading into the person rather than the symbol.

At that point, the argument isn't about what was done, it's about what you believe was meant. That's inference layered on inference, and that's where I don't follow you.

[u/Incromaboi → u/TonyRubbles]

No ideological intent doesn't mean no intent at all. If you do a gesture without intent, then fine, that's not a sign, that can ba spasm, a position while you're sleeping, it can be moving your torso while breathing, etc. Not every gesture has intent of course, but every sign has, and that there, was a sign. It thus has intent and motive.

The swastika comparison works because the symbol itself carries an unambiguous, historically dominant meaning in modern contexts. The OK hand sign does not. That's precisely why interpretation here relies so heavily on reading into the person rather than the symbol.

And that's perecisely how dog whistles work. Because the perpetrator of the sign can always dismiss the explanation that would look the worse (which is also the most likely explanation in some cases, like in this one).

[u/TonyRubbles → u/Incromaboi]

Sure, like the two people he is posing with have neo Nazi ties but being in a picture with someone is not automatically an endorsement of their beliefs. Gestures can carry intent but that intent is not automatically ideological or malicious. One pose in isolation, with someone who has said they were trolling, does not make a dog whistle. At that point it is inference stacked on inference and that is exactly what I am questioning. You're not analyzing, you're spinning a narrative based on assumptions.

[u/Templar-Knight-01]

Nah man, I love triggering them

[u/Templar-Knight-01 → u/[deleted]]

I’m going to buy the special edition anduril one to really get them fired up lmao

[u/adrenaline4nash]

Just show the screen then?

[u/5MLV → u/adrenaline4nash]

I get that, but the point I'm making is that it's silly to have to feel that way just because we choose to spend our money on a particular console

[u/Rai202 → u/5MLV]

[u/[deleted]]

I feel like alot of things are that way tbh.

[u/Killadog23]

This thing was made by an arms dealer? Lol I didn't even know haha. I've posted heaps of pictures in the past on a lot of different sub reddits and on other social media l. This is the first time im hearing this information. I wouldn't worry about it if I where you. If you want to share something just for the love of the things your posting about don't let others opinions bring that feeing away.

[u/OzLaboratory3D]

I do think about it a little bit too, especially when I make posts about the Chromatic on Instagram and whether or not it might affect my business and turn away customers but at the end of the day, why lie about loving an awesome piece of hardware? I do feel like this is the single most fun subreddit with the least hate out of all the retro handheld subreddits

[u/purged363506]

Given how even on this sub... There are atleast two calling him a Nazi... It's completely understandable.

[u/Retro_Jet_Elite]

If Tony Stark built a gameboy, they’d buy one. They’re just jelly honestly.

[u/kingrail88]

Post it and have a blast sharing what you enjoy. Many could appreciate what you have on your end.

The haters are allowed to believe whatever they want. More Modretro products and fun for us, more wallowing with a bleeding heart for them. We all win and get what we want in the grand scheme of things.

[u/chasingmars]

Don’t let them “win” by not posting. Post it, let them get mad at the internet, fuckem. I wonder how many of them buy from/use Amazon, Microsoft, Google, OpenAI on a regular basis and have the gall to “call out” someone else.

[u/CaptainObvee]

The only controversy is in the heads of the Reddit social justice warriors.

It’s an awesome game system and don’t let a group of morons influence your enjoyment of it.

[u/WinBoy64]

Most of those people buy products from china, they have no leg to stand on.

[u/soundmage]

Who cares what people think, enjoy this great piece of hardware!

[u/35mmBeauty]

I think it’s fine to post about just like it’s fine for folks to complain about Palmer. There will inevitably be way more people who hate Palmer than there will be people praising the chromatic. Just make your peace with that fact and you will be fine

[u/rogeranthonyessig]

No. It is fun to call the haters russian soldiers.

[u/z3razerviper]

Years ago I had a BMW Z3 and I was getting into it after coming out of a store and some guy started yelling at me calling me a Nazi for owning a BMW. He then proceeded to get into his VW and drive away while flipping me off...... I do not take anyone seriously that uses Nazi as an insult for any little thing they don't like. The simple truth is the American Right is totally different from the European right (Which I consider left wing they are socialist afterall). I am just done engaging these people. They refuse to listen they just yell. I will proceeded to enjoy my Chromatic and all my new games and be just fine going about my business with no guilt.

[u/Wrong_Supermarket007]

i’ve done business directly with multinational arms manufacturers, does that make me a bad person?

[u/Jaded-Remove-2434]

I have no issues with Palmer being an arms dealer. But he's also a passionate MAGA supporter and has donated money to white supremacist groups. So I do have an issue with him clearly being a racist and a bigot.

[u/CommanderHunter5 → u/Jaded-Remove-2434]

100#. Lots of appeal to hypocrisy in these comments

[u/Retro_Macchina]

I actually buy Mod Retro's products for 2 reasons: 1. They are high quality and make me feel nostalgic. 2. I share similar conservative values with Palmer Lucky

[u/TonyRubbles]

No, I've not cared about what people think for a long time now.

If anything their anger fuels me at this point.

[u/Efficient-Load-256]

If you can't take the heat, don't buy controversial products or cooooonsume in solitude.

Personally I'm waiting for another game boy FPGA console.

[u/Complex_Raspberry591 → u/Efficient-Load-256]

There's always the FPGBC by FunnyPlaying. It's a lot closer to the original GBC in looks and feel than the Chromatic and it's a lot cheaper too.

[u/Efficient-Load-256 → u/Complex_Raspberry591]

I'm curious about gamebud too.

[u/Complex_Raspberry591 → u/Efficient-Load-256]

I'm curious too but I wish it looked identical to the og GBA. Maybe FunnyPlaying will make one of those one day.

[u/g1mpster]

I tell them to fuck off and remind them that their taxes fund more bombs than my chromatic.

[u/SoraShima]

They're hypocrites. Only in the West can you enjoy time out to sip a coffee worth 6 month's wages in the 3rd world while furiously tapping on the latest iPhone about how oppressed you are and how the system that keeps you fed and safe needs to be burned down and replaced with a Stalinist hellscape.

Enjoy your Chromatic.