Retro handheld consoles surge in popularity as younger buyers seek offline gaming
Demand for discontinued handheld gaming consoles like Sony’s PSP and Nintendo’s DS models has risen sharply in recent years, according to Danish retro gaming retailers.
Multiple store owners report growing interest in the devices, which peaked in the 2000s and 2010s before production ended. Mads Bo Jacobsen, owner of Nintendopusheren.dk, said sales of the PSP have climbed significantly over the past two years. “Several times, we’ve sold them before they even reached the shelves,” he told Danish broadcaster DR.
Martin Gavlshøj Berg, owner of Nes Bozz—Denmark’s oldest retro console shop—noted that Nintendo 3DS models are “flying off the shelves,” with used prices doubling since production ceased in 2020. A second-hand New Nintendo 3DS now sells for 2,200–3,000 DKK (approx. 295–405 EUR), up from 1,000–1,500 DKK (135–200 EUR) just a few years ago. “If they’re complete with original packaging, they fetch even higher prices,” he said.
Daniel Lund Kristensen of ZZ Games in Taastrup confirmed the trend, stating the shop has seen “a clear rise in demand for DS consoles over the past couple of years.”
Disconnecting from digital overload
Magnus Groth-Andersen, editor-in-chief of gaming site Gamereactor, attributed the resurgence to a broader “dumb device effect”—a backlash against the constant connectivity of modern smartphones. “We’re seeing younger consumers actively seeking to disconnect from the online world and opt for more intentional entertainment,” he explained. “These devices allow people to unplug.”
The trend aligns with the revival of early-2000s (Y2K) aesthetics, according to Bobby Ågren, owner of Copenhagen barbershop Ruben and Bobby, which also sells retro games. “Y2K fashion is huge right now—clothing, hairstyles, even tech like Discmans and wired headphones,” he said. “PSPs fit right in. Young people want what their parents thought was tacky.”
The Sony PSP originally launched in Denmark on September 1, 2005, drawing long queues of eager buyers.