Retroid has issued a statement after American rapper Soulja Boy was accused of selling handheld consoles that appear to be rebranded versions of the company's products. This isn't the first time Soulja Boy has been accused of white-labeling and reselling controversial gaming products.
In 2018, Soulja Boy had to pull his gaming consoles following the threat of legal action from Nintendo. Some of the products he released seemingly included Nintendo emulators that ran the company's classic titles without permission. In 2021, he attempted to reenter the gaming console market, allegedly white-labeling the original Retroid Pocket and reselling it under his own label. Now, in 2025, Soulja Boy is back, promoting a new handheld console that closely resembles other Retroid products.
Soulja Boy's Consoles Mocked in Saturday Night Live Sketch
Soulja Boy's knock-off games consoles are mocked during a Weekend Update sketch in the latest episode of NBC's comedy variety show Saturday Night Live.
Retroid Calls Out Soulja Boy for Rebranding and Reselling Its Handhelds
Speaking to Retro Dodo's Brandon Saltalamacchia, a Retroid official confirmed that Soulja Boy is not legally allowed to rebrand the company's products. "He does not have permission to rebrand our products and sell them as his own," the retro handheld console manufacturer's statement reads. It also notes that the Pocket Flip 2 is patented by Retroid in the US. Rebranded as the SouljaGame Flip, the allegedly cloned handheld is listed on the rapper's official website for about $200 USD, though reports indicate the original price was over $400.
A comparison between the SouljaGame Flip and the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 reveals striking similarities, with both handhelds offering nearly identical specifications. It is also worth noting that there has been no official statement from Soulja Boy so far.
According to Retro Dodo, the American rapper also cloned Retroid's other popular handheld console, the Retroid Pocket 4. However, that product has likely been delisted, as it no longer appears on Soulja Boy's official website. The remaining images of the alleged clone, however, show a clear resemblance to the original, making it difficult to tell the two apart.
Soulja Boy has supposedly seen financial success with his gaming console ventures. In 2018, he claimed that his SouljaGame consoles sold over five million units despite their high prices. It remains to be seen whether his new controversial product, the SouljaGame Flip, can achieve the same level of success, or even if the previously claimed sales number is accurate. It will also be interesting to see how Retroid handles the situation.