Panic has today announced the Playdate handheld console, a gaming system that will offer 12 secretive new games as part of its launch.
The bright yellow handheld isn’t “super cheap, but not super expensive [either],” at $149 USD, Panic advised. “Plus it has a crank.” Okay.
Said crank “flips out from the side, a rotating analog controller that puts a whole new spin on games.” Intriguing? Yes. Gimmick? Maybe.
When it launches, Playdate will offer up one new game, followed by eleven other new games released one-per-week over eleven weeks. Panic said it wouldn’t be detailing any of the games until they’re actually available on Playdate itself, but did confirm we’ll see titles from the likes of developers including Keita Takahashi, Zach Gage, Bennett Foddy and Shaun Inman. The twelve games will form Playdate’s first season, suggesting future seasons will come down the line.
Oddly enough, the Playdate was teased by Campo Santo inside Firewatch. Panic publishes Firewatch, so it’s not a huge surprise, but neat nonetheless.
Congrats to @panic for announcing @playdate, their tiny game console full of big surprises! https://t.co/gqiSgaA2cK The first surprise: It was right in front of us this whole time… pic.twitter.com/ejTG6Oc2qF
— Campo Santo (@camposanto) May 22, 2019
If you’re interested, you can sign up for Playdate updates here.
What do you make of the Playdate?
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