Here we go again. Soulja Boy, the rapper best known for “Crank That (Soulja Boy),” just dropped a new gaming handheld called the SouljaGame Flip, and absolutely nobody is surprised to learn it’s just a rebranded Retroid Pocket Flip 2 being sold without permission from the actual manufacturer. This isn’t some grey area business decision or creative interpretation of licensing. Retroid themselves came out and said “He does not have permission to rebrand our products and sell them as his own.” And yet here we are, in 2025, watching Soulja Boy’s third major attempt to pull this exact scam in gaming hardware.
What Is the SouljaGame Flip?
According to Soulja Boy’s website, the SouljaGame Flip is “the ultimate handheld gaming console endorsed by Soulja Boy.” It features a 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED screen, an SD865 processor, 8GB of RAM, Wi-Fi 6, active cooling, and a 5000mAh battery. If those specs sound familiar, that’s because they’re identical to the Retroid Pocket Flip 2. The device is so similar that the color options are literally named the same – including a GameCube-inspired “GC” scheme.
The product images on Soulja Boy’s website are apparently borrowed directly from Retroid’s site, with some additional shots of white packaging that say “SouljaGame.” The comparison photos show no discernible difference between the two devices. This isn’t inspired by the Retroid. This isn’t a spiritual successor. This is the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 with different branding.
The Price Scam Within the Rebrand
Here’s where it gets really egregious. When the SouljaGame Flip first dropped, Soulja Boy was asking $436.50 for it. The actual Retroid Pocket Flip 2? $209. That’s more than double the price. Even the Reddit thread about this describes it perfectly: it’s “scalper performance art.” Soulja Boy saw people genuinely interested in Retroid’s product and decided to just… sell the same product at a massive markup with his logo on it.
After being called out publicly, Soulja Boy dropped the price to $200 – which is actually cheaper than Retroid’s official price. That’s not generosity. That’s damage control. And honestly, it might be worse because now he’s undercutting the actual manufacturer of the device he’s stealing.
This Is a Pattern, Not a Mistake
This is Soulja Boy’s third major handheld console venture. Back in 2018, he launched the original SouljaGame console and handheld, which were revealed to be cheap Chinese emulators rebranded under his name and sold at massive markups. Some of the units came pre-installed with unlicensed Nintendo ROMs, which triggered a trademark response from Nintendo that was serious enough that Soulja Boy claimed he had to “boss up” – his words – to avoid getting sued.
Then in 2022, he tried again with another knockoff Game Boy device. And now in 2025, he’s literally doing the exact same thing with the Retroid Pocket Flip 2. This isn’t a one-time mistake. This is a business model: find cheap Chinese handhelds, slap your logo on them, sell them at massive markups, and ignore cease-and-desist letters.
Retroid’s Official Response
When asked about Soulja Boy’s rebranding, a Retroid representative told Retro Dodo: “I didn’t know about this. This is not any kind of official licensing deal. He does not have permission to rebrand our products and sell them as his own. The Retroid Pocket Flip 2 is patented in the U.S by ourselves.”
That’s about as close to a “cease and desist” warning as you can give without being legal. Retroid explicitly stated they have a patent on the device. Soulja Boy is selling the patented device under a different brand without permission. This isn’t legally ambiguous. This is trademark violation and unauthorized resale of a patented product.
| Aspect | Retroid Pocket Flip 2 | SouljaGame Flip | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED | 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED | None |
| Processor | SD865 | SD865 | None |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB | None |
| Battery | 5000mAh | 5000mAh | None |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 | None |
| Official Price | $209 | $436.50 (dropped to $200) | 2x+ markup initially |
| Branding | Retroid | SouljaGame | Only visual difference |
Why This Matters
On one level, this is just Soulja Boy being Soulja Boy. Everyone knows what he’s doing. The comments on his Instagram are people calling him out. Reddit is memeing about it. Gaming news sites are covering it as yet another Soulja Boy scam. But there’s something genuinely frustrating about this continuing to happen without legal consequences.
Nintendo came down hard in 2018 because Soulja Boy was selling units with unlicensed Nintendo ROMs. But as long as he’s just rebranding the hardware itself without pre-loading copyrighted content, he’s operating in a weirdly grey area where trademark and patent law should theoretically stop him, but practical enforcement is difficult. Retroid can sue, but that’s expensive and time-consuming. In the meantime, Soulja Boy sells units to people who don’t know better and makes money hand over fist.
The Retro Handheld Market Is Booming
The reason Soulja Boy keeps trying this is because the retro handheld market is genuinely thriving. Retroid, Anbernic, and other manufacturers are selling millions of units. The Steam Deck proved there’s massive demand for portable gaming. The success of these devices means there’s money in this space, and Soulja Boy sees an opportunity to exploit consumers who either don’t know better or don’t care where their device comes from as long as it’s cheaper.
The tragic thing is that legitimate players in this market (Retroid, Anbernic, Backbone, even Nintendo with the Switch successor) are building communities and earning goodwill. And then Soulja Boy swoops in, undercuts them, scalps their work, and damages trust in the entire ecosystem.
FAQs
Is the SouljaGame Flip actually just a Retroid Pocket Flip 2?
Yes. The specs are identical, the images are from Retroid’s website, and Retroid themselves confirmed they did not authorize this rebrand and that Soulja Boy does not have permission to sell their patented device under a different brand.
How much does the SouljaGame Flip cost?
It was originally listed at $436.50 but has been dropped to $200 after public backlash. The actual Retroid Pocket Flip 2 costs $209 from the official manufacturer.
Is Soulja Boy allowed to do this?
No. Retroid has a U.S. patent on the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 design. Soulja Boy selling rebranded versions without authorization violates trademark and patent law. However, enforcement is difficult and expensive.
Has Soulja Boy done this before?
Yes. In 2018, he launched the original SouljaGame console (a rebranded cheap Chinese emulator), which attracted legal attention from Nintendo. In 2022, he tried again with another knockoff Game Boy device. This is his third major attempt in seven years.
Can I get sued for buying this?
No, you can’t get sued for purchasing it. Soulja Boy is the one potentially liable for trademark violation and patent infringement.
Will Retroid take legal action?
Unknown, but Retroid’s public statement that “he does not have permission” is a clear legal warning. Whether they pursue litigation depends on factors like enforcement costs versus lost sales.
Should I buy the SouljaGame Flip or the official Retroid?
If the prices are now the same ($200), buy the official Retroid directly. You’re supporting the actual manufacturer, ensuring you get authentic support, and not rewarding Soulja Boy’s unauthorized resale.
What about his previous SouljaGame products?
Some are still technically available through Soulja Boy’s website, but they’re also just rebranded cheap Chinese emulators. Avoid them and go with legitimate manufacturers like Retroid or Anbernic.
Conclusion
Soulja Boy’s SouljaGame Flip is one of the most egregious examples of trademark and patent violation in gaming hardware that’s been done publicly in recent memory. He’s not even pretending this is a different product. The specs are identical. The images are copied. The colors are the same. He simply slapped his logo on an existing patented device and started selling it at a markup. Retroid explicitly told him to stop. And yet it’s still happening because legal enforcement takes time and money that not every company is willing to spend.
If you care about supporting legitimate handheld gaming companies and actual innovation in the space, skip the SouljaGame Flip entirely. Buy the real Retroid Pocket Flip 2, support Anbernic, or wait for the next generation of legitimate hardware. Soulja Boy has built a business model on exploiting people who don’t know better. Don’t be one of them.