Publisher Panic Inc. is jumping into the gaming hardware market with a new, quirky invention. Panic is known for being a mobile app developer, though they have had prior experience with the gaming industry through publishing 2016's hit indie game Firewatch, and are currently in the process of publishing the wildly odd Untitled Goose Game. Now, the company feels it's the perfect time to get into the hardware market by creating the Playdate, a small handheld gaming device. It bears a striking yellow shell and features a traditional layout of a D-pad and two face buttons. The screen is a 400x240 LCD, which Panic boasts as being "extremely sharp and clear", and outputs only in black and white.

What stands out the most about the Playdate is that there is a crank on the right side of the system. This oddity will be used as an analog input for games that "will put a whole new spin on games", as quipped by Panic. Launching in early 2020, the Playdate will cost $149, and will be in short supply. Twelve games are planned for launch, with Keita Takahashi (Katamari Damacy), Shaun Inman (The Last Rocket), and Bennet Foddy (QWOP, Getting Over It with Bennet Foddy) slated to be some of the developers working on titles for the system.

If anything, the Playdate is certainly a unique product. More information will be coming in the future, so if you're interested in the weird little yellow handheld gaming device that has a crank on the side, be sure keep an eye out for further updates.

Source

 

[Sillybunnie]

That 150 price does include 12 games, if you figure about 5-10 a game that's $60-$120 worth of games making the hardware actually cost $30-$90 which isn't as bad as it initially sounded.

 

[YoungGrumpyMan]

Woah, the first truly next-gen console :o

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[Redhorse]

Someone will get Skyrim playing on this just wait and see... lol

same button config as the GB Micro IIRC

 

[WhiteMaze]

All the people complaining about price don’t understand this company did not design the console for them. Same people likely don’t have a hobby outside game piracy.

They admitted it will be a limited supply, of course they are going to be expensive. It’s also co-designed by teenage engineering who makes beautifully expensive products.

I can’t wait to pick one up.

I'm sorry, even if they produced only 10 units, $50 would still be enough to turn a profit on what is being delivered. It outputs 2 colors. A coffee probably costs more than a tiny LCD that produces 2 colors.

I hope they succeed, I have nothing against the company. However this is a blatant rip-off and a way to make quick cash with insane profit margins per unit.

 

[kuwanger]

People joke about making an emulator with a USB hand crank, but based on the design it'd be pretty trivial to have a smartphone with the "screen" at the top and a side-view of the crank to rotate forward/backwards. I'm sure there are already some smartphone games that employ such a mechanism. So, going almost 100% what I was saying about the Ouya...isn't the smartphone in your pocket more powerful.

 

[Deleted User]

 

[dekuleon]

It's already dead and will be sold in clearance for 19,99

 

[DANTENDO]

It's already dead and will be sold in clearance for 19,99

Post a pic up when you got one tht price and I'll giv you 30 quid

 

[Deleted_413010]

Seems interesting, but for $150? No way in hell im buying one

Especially because its only black and white

 

[Idontknowwhattoputhere]

How weird this is
If it can run custom code it might kinda of replace the bitboy (if it has a sd card slot)

 

[AdenTheThird]

"extremely sharp and clear"
only inputs in black and white?
In 2019?
Really?

 

[YoungGrumpyMan]

I'm seriously intrigued. I want to know more about the games that are being released for the system, but they seem to want to keep that as a secret.

Love the design and the crank looks like such a quirky but fun idea.

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[WhiteMaze]

I'm seriously intrigued. I want to know more about the games that are being released for the system, but they seem to want to keep that as a secret.

Love the design and the crank looks like such a quirky but fun idea.

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I just hope the only thing cranking isn't the money from your wallet with that price..

They will have a lot of proving to do at this price point, for what the product is.

 

[guisadop]

could be... interesting, at least. but 150 is way, way too much.

 

[orangy57]

Hey look a thin, black and white screened console that people can make their own games for? Haven't seen this one 4 times

 

[Adrian-E-C]

It'll definitely make for a weird showpiece to one's collection. Since they have the developer from Katamari Damacy, and Getting Over it with Bennet Foddy, this seems like it's going to be a weird, weird system.

Not only that, but after I asked him, Suda 51 is looking into jumping on board as well.
https://twitter.com/suda_51/status/1131379341961469952

 

[Mark McDonut]

gonna have to do better than that price, I built an odroid gameboy clone for like $49 last week that supports hundreds more actual games than this.

 

[GhostLatte]

It even has the soulja prices.

 

[Jayro]

They should just stick to finishing that Goose game.

 

[AikoT_T]

Delet this.

Chary, i love ya girl, love your content..

But just like the local news channels who show nothing but dog shows and celeb affairs,
This should not be news, and needs to die out.

You won't find me cranking ANYTHING.
ya feel me?

id rather have a Bop-It!... *n'e

100.

Spoiler

I mean, if it was a crank attatched to a gameboy clone or something that recharged the batteries, that.... maybe. (week long camping trips in the middle of nowhere)

It even has the soulja prices.

I'm sure he'll eventually make one and sell it.

does anyone other than the reviewers on youtube actually buy consoles from soulja boy?

kek.