Towards the end of April, it was noticed that on the packaging for the Evercade VS-R Controller, it was listed as compatible with the VS, VS-R, and Alpha. Now, the VS is the original Evercade console, distinct from the handheld series, and the VS-R is the upcoming cost-reduced version of that console. What’s the Alpha? No one knows, but I have a reasonable speculation.

Several people have put forth the idea that it’s perhaps a 3/4-scale Arcade 1UP-style cabinet or a full countercade, but my first thought was something a bit more modest, although still in that same general wheelhouse.

There’s a product that’s several years old now called the TAITO Egret II Mini. It’s a tabletop unit with a screen that’s easy to rotate and has interchangeable controls. There are plenty of other variations of the form factor and design methodology, with some of the more popular ones featuring Sega and Neo Geo arcade games. So why this form factor?

First off, Evercade has yet to embrace an arcade-style form factor. It’s impractical for them to do an Arcade 1UP- or AtGames-style upright machine since logistics would be difficult for a company based in Europe with a strong US presence. And that’s of course ignoring the reliability and other issues that larger machines have. In short, they’re a bear to support.

So why a TAITO Egret II-style machine? Simple. Evercade has already embraced TATE mode on their EXP handheld series, but there’s not a practical way for many people to do it with the VS series without using a separate, smaller display. After all, it’s not easy to put a big screen TV on its side.

Keeping in line with their current streamlining mindset, it’s unlikely the Alpha would have a TV out. It would rely on its built-in 5-inch or larger display, which again, would almost certainly be something you could manually rotate like on the Egret II. In terms of controls, it could potentially have a built-in Egret II-style arcade controller, since Evercade only supports digital controls and buttons at this time, so no need for analog, spinners, or trackballs. And since Evercade games support up to four players, you’ll need additional player controls, although I’m skeptical that they’d necessarily include four ports on Alpha rather than just two. That’s again with the idea that they’re trying to streamline and cost-reduce the products that support their ever-growing game library.

In terms of cost, I’d estimate a $129 – $149 USD price point for such a device. That’s a bit high, but there would be a bit more going on here than with their usual consoles or handhelds. To put it simply, you have to get that screen and the rotation mechanism exactly right not to have support and reliability issues.

Anyway, that’s my reasoned speculation. What’s yours?