Lenovo Quietly Drops Its G02 Handheld, but the Device Returns Under a New Name on AliExpress

Lenovo has officially discontinued its G02 emulation handheld after a controversy over the device being sold with preloaded pirated game ROMs, but the product has already resurfaced on AliExpress under a different brand. The PC maker quietly ended all options to buy the licensed G02 model both in and outside the U.S., according to Gizmodo. Yet within weeks, unbranded versions began appearing on the marketplace again, as reported by GamesRadar+.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to write about the Lenovo G02 again, after breaking the news of how it was loaded with Nintendo IP, illegally, and then how it was removed from AliExpress because Lenovo were likely worried about the attention it was getting."

Retro Dodo, which first broke the story, noted that the handheld was initially sold outside China with copyrighted Nintendo and Sega games included. Kotaku reported that the device, a $60 Game Boy-like emulation machine, prompted reports from emulation site Retro Dodo and led to months of denials from Lenovo followed by a name change before the official pull. Time Extension also credited Retro Dodo for the original report on the preloaded ROMs.

kotakuLenovo Discontinues G02 Handheld After Pirated Nintendo and Sega Games Controversy

The revived device now sells on AliExpress as the SUNYAO G02, with marketing that claims it is "invested by Lenovo" and offers up to 30,000 preloaded games, according to Notebookcheck. Retro Handhelds likewise confirmed the relisting under the new name, noting it appeared shortly after Lenovo removed the original G02 from retailers. The reappearance renews scrutiny over Lenovo's links to a China-only white-label product that was criticized for shipping internationally with allegedly illegal ROMs, as Notebookcheck put it.

"Lenovo's disputed G02 retro handheld has resurfaced on AliExpress as the SUNYAO G02, marketed as 'invested by Lenovo' and offered with up to 30,000 preloaded games."

Retro Dodo lamented that the handheld is still "openly associated with Lenovo" under its new guise, calling it "an even more complicated and dodgy handheld that will undoubtedly confuse retro gamers and long-term Lenovo customers." Meanwhile, GamesRadar+ reported that versions without any link to the Lenovo brand continue to haunt AliExpress, suggesting the device may persist in various forms despite the official discontinuation.