Commodore Revives The TAC-2 Joystick After 40 Years, With A Steel Shaft And Five Colorways

Just a year after reviving the Commodore brand itself, the company is bringing back a cult accessory from the 1980s: the TAC-2 joystick, originally made by Suncom and the undisputed star of living rooms equipped with a Commodore 64 or Amiga. The product is now available for preorder, with shipping scheduled for October 20, 2026.

A steel shaft fixes the original's biggest weak point

True to a "fully functional, no frills" philosophy, Commodore added no Bluetooth, no USB-C port, and no companion app: the TAC-2 still plugs in via a classic 9-pin connector and works instantly, just like back in the day. The real change is under the hood: the shaft, which originally repurposed an automotive tire valve assembly (a well-known weak point for original owners), is now built around a much sturdier steel shaft. The housing keeps the original arcade-style ball-top design and will ship in five colorways, including a limited "Founders Edition" with gold PVD trim.

Expect to pay $49.99 for the standard model and $64 for the Founders Edition. Commodore says it's actively working to keep shipping costs down, which have been pushed higher than expected by current US tariffs, so as not to penalize international customers.

Source: Tom's Hardware

Image credit: “Suncom TAC-2 - white” by Archyx, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).