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After teasing its first gaming smartphone earlier this year, AYANEO has shared more details of the device today via the video above. It will be called the AYANEO Pocket Play, and houses physical gaming keys under a sliding mechanism. It looks like a modern Xperia Play and it's no coincidence.

The company hasn't revealed any specs or release date for this phone, but it will likely launch via a crowdfunding campaign and will ship sometime next year at the earliest. AYANEO will share more details in the coming months.

Will the launch of the AYANEO Pocket Play usher the beginning of a new generation of actual gaming smartphones? We'll soon find out if competitors put out versions of a long overdue successor to the Xperia Play.

 

[Scarlet]

They copied a little too much from the Xperia Play... Did anybody like the trackpad joysticks...? Would've been such a win with something like the sliders used on the 3DS. At least it seems like a solid D-Pad for all the 4:3 games people will be playing on the 18:9(?) screen.

If anything it will hopefully inspire more gaming phones with built-in controls though.

 

[Ferris1000]

I think they should’ve focused more on the sliding, I only counted ten times.

 

[Smoker1]

Would want it if it has a MicroSD Slot, and a Headphone Jack+FM Radio Enabled

 

[Skelletonike]

This seems pretty interesting, but I have a feeling that it will be too expensive for what it is.

 

[Bladexdsl]

what time is it? it's time for the monthly AYANEO e-waste release!

 

[Veho]

"A statement of a true gamer's identity"

Eeeesh, who's the target audience, this guy:

?

 

[onibaku]

They copied a little too much from the Xperia Play... Did anybody like the trackpad joysticks...? Would've been such a win with something like the sliders used on the 3DS. At least it seems like a solid D-Pad for all the 4:3 games people will be playing on the 18:9(?) screen.

If anything it will hopefully inspire more gaming phones with built-in controls though.

I would personally prefer the sliders used on the 3DS. I do like the trackpad on the steam deck (but only when emulating a mouse, not a joystick) so I dont think these will feel as good as a joystick

 

[Nakamichi]

wanna bet they wont give us microsd?
i can barely make my roms fit on 2tb, no chance at all ill make em fit on whatever built-in storage phones come with

 

[SuffahBish]

wanna bet they wont give us microsd?
i can barely make my roms fit on 2tb, no chance at all ill make em fit on whatever built-in storage phones come with

All of these handhelds have at least one major flaw so they can sell you the next model. I swear it's intentional.

 

[AlamosIT]

Would want it if it has a MicroSD Slot, and a Headphone Jack+FM Radio Enabled

MicroSD slot is my must-have when I buy a smartphone

 

[Kazuya89]

n the SBC gaming community, the demand for a device like this is certainly loud. However, I don’t believe it will really take off. There are definitely people in the scene who buy a device only once in a long while and stick with it. But a large portion of the community constantly buys new gadgets. This means they often use each handheld only for a few weeks or months before moving on to the next one.

With a smartphone, though, people are much less willing to behave that way. On top of that, users are generally more willing to accept compromises in a handheld, since they usually own several of them at the same time. With a smartphone, it’s different: certain things are absolute deal-breakers because it’s their daily-use device. Some need the camera to meet a certain standard; others require a microSD slot for more storage or a specific minimum size. Meanwhile, some don’t want their everyday phone to be too big. In other words, people are far more put off when their smartphone—something they rely on every day—doesn’t match their preferences 100%, much more than they would be with a handheld.

And those handhelds by these brands often come with quirks or flaws, yet people are already reluctant to accept compromises there. So when it comes to a gaming smartphone with a built-in controller, only a fraction of those who claim to want such a device will actually buy it, simply because the final product won’t meet their expectations. For these reasons, I think this kind of device will be far less successful than dedicated handhelds.

All of these handhelds have at least one major flaw so they can sell you the next model. I swear it's intentional.

Yeah they often do. But In my experience People often tend to buy the next model just because they want to buy and collect them. They would hop from one to another even without those flaws.

 

[hippy dave]

Aesthetics aren't bad, tho they should have gone with the Nintendo button layout for ABXY. My personal preference, but also I would imagine people are much more likely to be emulating Nintendo games on this device than Xbox games. I suppose they could be streaming game pass, people do stranger things. Anyway I wonder if it will be possible to swap the buttons around.

I think it will be hard pressed to meet all the desirable specs for a gaming device and a phone without also being on the off-puttingly expensive side. Probably won't be a huge success but may do well enough as a niche product as I guess is the usual for these manufacturers who keep putting out constant new models.

 

[Robert Newbie]

MicroSD slot is my must-have when I buy a smartphone

I made the mistake of buying a smartphone without doing the research. Years ago, I just went ahead and replaced my Galaxy S4, and I found out later that the new one didn't have a microSD slot. Not the worst thing in the world.

Then, I needed to make a second trip because I realized that the phone didn't come with a USB-A cable or plug. (It did come with a single USB-C cable, but at the time, I didn't have any USB-C ports in the house.) Oy.

 

[Kioku]

I’d wager there will be some mechanical issues.. Design looks cheap and honestly laughable..

 

[AlexMCS]

No actual analog nubs/sticks = hard pass for 3D/precise movement.
D-pad looks too shallow as well, the face buttons are the only plus here.

These days, you're better off getting a good phone + external attachable joystick, even if it's more cumbersome.
It needs to have mid-range to flagship specs and a decent price point to be even worth considering.

 

[VinsCool]

What year is that, 2009?

 

[K3Nv4]

Nah a flagship with detachable controllers would be a better option in this case.

 

[Smoker1]

I made the mistake of buying a smartphone without doing the research. Years ago, I just went ahead and replaced my Galaxy S4, and I found out later that the new one didn't have a microSD slot. Not the worst thing in the world.

Then, I needed to make a second trip because I realized that the phone didn't come with a USB-A cable or plug. (It did come with a single USB-C cable, but at the time, I didn't have any USB-C ports in the house.) Oy.

Hence why I am still on older Devices. Dont like how Designers are wanting to remove MicroSD Slots, Headphone Jacks AND USB-C Ports because People keep trying to use their Devices in Water, like Idiots. Plus wanting to force People to use Cloud Storage, which could get Hacked, possibly.

 

[Ambers_Crimson_8K]

I'll stick with the ROG Phone 9 Pro, nothing is messing with that right now!