GameStick shipped to backers, retail release pegged for Sept. 30

Shipments for GameStick, PlayJam's Android-based micro-console, have dispatched to "nearly all" Kickstarter backers and are expected to arrive "within the next few weeks," the company confirmed with The Verge, offering a tentative release date of Sept. 30 for retail pre-orders.

Shipments for backers of the GameStick were delayed in April until the end June as demand exceeded expectation and the silicon molds used weren't designed for high-volume production. So Kickstarter backers could provide input on the GameStick's final user interface, shipments were delayed a month in June and were expected to ship in early August.

DEV units for the portable Android console shipped to developers in late March to coincide with its first public appearance at the 2013 Game Developers Conference. At the time, PlayJam said more than 500 developers were in the lineup to receive kits. Developers received its SDK a week ahead of its launch, which supported C++, Java, Marmalade and Unity from day one.

For more about the Android-operated mini-console, be sure to check out our hands-on preview.