April 3, 2026
Only 16 colors, infinite drama
New Color Mode Coming to GIMP
Retro 16‑color GIMP tease sparks cheers, eye‑rolls, and April Fools cries
TLDR: A GIMP developer teased a retro 16‑color “EGA” mode so you can work in old‑school colors from the start. Commenters split fast: some cheer the nostalgia, while skeptics cry April Fools and point to “no evidence” on GitHub, demanding proof before they believe—making this tiny palette a big fight.
GIMP’s devs just teased a throwback: an old‑school “EGA” color mode—think retro PC vibes with up to 16 colors and chunky resolution. Fans of pixel art are grinning, but the comments are the real fireworks. One user slammed it as “April Fools Day” material and raged that it’s clogging the front page. Another turned GitHub detective, posting a “No evidence yet” link and implying the big reveal might be more prank than plan.
On the other side, nostalgia lovers are hyped for a mode that lets you work in those retro colors from the start, not just convert at the end. The dev even joked about a future “0‑bit color mode” (aka, all black everything), pouring gasoline on the meme fire. Meanwhile, the skeptics demand proof and timelines, not vibes. The vibe war is real: fun throwback vs. pointless distraction.
Under all the drama, the pitch is simple: GIMP wants to let you make images that fit 1980s PCs right in the app, with hopes to expand to more retro modes later. It’s early work aimed for GIMP 3.4 dev builds—if it’s not a prank, the testers are ready.
Key Points
- •A GIMP developer is implementing an Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA) color mode for GIMP.
- •The EGA mode will allow up to 16 colors chosen from a 64-color palette and target a 640×350 resolution.
- •GIMP previously included an EGA palette for late-binding workflows; the new work enables early-binding editing directly in EGA mode.
- •The feature is in early development with UX subject to change and is planned for GIMP 3.4 development builds.
- •Future expansions mentioned include a CGA-compatible mode, plus potential 1-bit and 0-bit color modes.