Upon pre-ordering Commodore's recently announced TAC-2 joystick, you may have received a shipping shock at checkout. The resurrected accessory comes in at $49.99 / $37, but with all the end shipping and localized taxes applied, early birds ended up paying closer to $100.
I figured something wasn't right with those TAC-2 joystick shipping costs, so I decided to reach out to Commodore for an answer. The microcomputer maker was quick to offer up an explanation, with Chief Strategy Officer Jim Squires clarifying that the shipping price for the retro controller should be $19 all in, and buying more than one should save you some cash.
"There was a hiccup that impacted the first 83 purchases who were overcharged for shipping," confirms Commodore. "Those users were proactively refunded $11 yesterday. The correct amount for shipping is $19 USD no matter where you are around the globe."
The shipping seemingly wasn't alone in hiking TAC-2 shipping prices, as Commodore says that while the standard shipping price is $19, US tariffs were contributing an extra $5.
"We're changing our policy effective immediately and will absorb these additional costs for US customers." Commodore clarifies before admitting, "It will reduce our margin, but we just want to make things as fair as we can for folks."
Having just checked in on the cart situation right now, I can confirm TAC-2 shipping prices are lower. If you're ordering from a US address, one joystick should come in at $68.99 before sales tax with the $19 shipping factored in, and if you order two, a 10% combined shipping discount code is automatically applied.
Even with multibuy discounts and those US tariffs kept at bay, I get why you wouldn't want to pay $19 on top for the new $50 TAC-2. Shipping costs tend to haunt me when trying to buy fancy new retro consoles and accessories, and the fact I'm in the UK means I pay more for that privilege. It does feel like Commodore is doing its best to get those additional costs lower, though, and that makes sense given that part of the remake pitch is to save you paying "upwards of $100 or more" for an original stick.
Keep in mind, though, this new Commodore-branded TAC-2 isn't just a like-for-like remake of the iconic '80s joystick by Suncom. It now comes in a bunch of colorways to match the Commodore 64 Ultimate and its upcoming FPGA-powered C64C sibling, and it replaces the OG TR418 tire valve and brass ball mechanism with a "single form, solid steel, chrome-plated shaft assembly."
Not only should it eliminate one of the original TAC-2's "rare" structural flaws, but it'll also be box fresh. To many players, getting to waggle a stick that hasn't potentially accumulated decades of grime is a selling point on its own, and the fact it'll keep its DE-9 connector means it'll work with other vintage systems like the Atari 2600 and a bunch of other microcomputers.
That said, it's not the only joystick with original port compatibility out there; Retro Games Ltd resurrected the Quickshot II, and it's available for $33.99. You can also buy fresh Atari joysticks in various Pac-Man ghost colors for $69.99, but I'd be lying if I said the single-button accessory doesn't personally give me the ick to use.
The TAC-2 is scheduled to start shipping on October 20, 2026, so we've got a few months left until the joystick's grand return. Given that the C64C Ultimate is meant to land later this year, I suspect both the microcomputer and accessory could land around the same time, and there's no saying what Commodore could announce before then.
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