Playdate (console) explained

Playdate
Playdate
Aka:Asheville (code name)[1]
Developer:Panic Inc.
Type:Handheld game console
Release Date:April 19, 2022
Memory:16 MB
Storage:4 GB flash storage[2]
Dimensions:76 × 74 × 9 mm[3]
Weight:86 grams
Units Sold:>70,000[4]

Playdate is a handheld video game console developed by Panic. The device features a mechanical crank and a black-and-white screen.

The console was announced in May 2019 and was released in April 2022.[5] [6] [7]

Hardware

The device is small, square, and yellow and features a black-and-white 1-bit display, a 4-way directional pad, two game buttons, and a mechanical crank, which can be tucked away when not in use.[8]

It was designed in collaboration with Teenage Engineering, a Swedish consumer electronics company.

Playdate uses a Sharp Memory LCD screen visually similar to e-paper displays.[9] Each pixel can remember its state (black/white) without needing to be refreshed, resulting in faster refreshing and lower power usage with a wide 170° viewing angle.[10]

Whilst the device features the hardware necessary for Bluetooth audio, there is no support for it in current software revisions.[11]

Accessories

Panic has announced two accessories for the device. A purple cover was released simultaneously with the device's 2022 launch, and later offered in an alternate aqua color. A yellow "stereo dock" that charges the Playdate and functions as a speaker and a penholder does not yet have a release date.[12]

Games

Distribution

Playdate comes with Season One: a collection of 24 games. Every week, two new games of Season One appear on the user's console. The price of Season One is included in the price of the console.[13] The order of released games was unknown until the week they were released, and were revealed to players when they automatically downloaded. It's unclear if there will be a Season Two.[14]

On 7 March 2023, the Catalog on-device and on-web store was added. Playdate owners can purchase and download games directly from the device.[15]

Developers

Games for the Playdate have been produced by Panic as well as indie game developers such as Keita Takahashi, Zach Gage, Bennett Foddy, Lucas Pope, Shaun Inman, and Chuck Jordan.[16] Panic stated that they were interested in games created by underrepresented developers and that there were games from women, queer, trans and non-binary developers in Playdate's first season.[17]

Games are created using an openly available proprietary software development kit (SDK) that includes a simulator and debugger. The SDK is compatible with both C and Lua programming languages.[18] It is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Simpler tile-based games can be created using Pulp, a more-approachable game development tool from Panic.[19] The device is an open system and allows sideloading additional games that are not part of a season.[20]

Season 1 (April–July 2022)

No. in seasonTitleDeveloped by
1Whitewater WipeoutChuhai Labs
2Casual BirderDiego Garcia
3Crankin's Time Travel Adventureuvula (Keita Takahashi, Ryan Mohler), Matthew Grimm, Shaun Inman[21]
4Boogie LoopsMay-Li Khoe, Andy Matuschak
5Lost Your MarblesSweet Baby Inc.[22]
6Pick Pack PupNic Magnier, Arthur Hamer
7Flipper LifterSerenity Forge
8Echoic MemorySamantha Kalman, Everest Pipkin, Carol Mertz, Rachelle Viola
9OmazeGregory Kogos
10DemonQuest 85Alex Ashby, Lawrence Bishop, Duncan Fyfe, Belinda Leung, Jared Emerson-Johnson
11ZipperBennett Foddy
12Hyper MeteorVertex Pop (Mobeen Fikree, Robby Duguay, h heron)
13Questy ChessDadako
14Executive Golf DXdavemakes[23]
15Saturday EditionChris Makris, A Shell in the Pit (Gord McGladdery, Alfonso Salinas)
16Star SledPanic[24]
17Spellcorked!Jada Gibbs, Nick Splendorr, Ryan Splendorr, Tony Ghostbrite, A Shell in the Pit (Em Halberstadt)
18Inventory HeroPanic
19SnakZach Gage
20SasquatchersChuck Jordan, Jared Emerson-Johnson
21Forrest Byrnes: Up in SmokeNels Anderson, Christina "castpixel" Neofotistou
22Battleship GodiosTPM.CO Soft Works[25]
23b360Panic
24RatcheteerShaun Inman, Matthew Grimm, Charlie Davis

Reception

Pre-release

On May 22, 2019, Panic announced Playdate.[26] Initial impressions were centered around how unusual the device was, from the crank, its 1-bit screen, and its odd method of delivering games to players. About the crank, TechCrunch noted, "It's not necessary for every game, though, so don't worry if it seems too weird."[27]

A year before the Playdate announcement, Panic co-founder Cabel Sasser sent an email to an indie video game event, also named Playdate, suggesting that the organizers consider tweaking or changing its name to avoid future confusion.[28] The following day, Sasser retracted the request, stating "My intention was always to find a way for our Playdates to co-exist [...] but we remain fine with you using the name Playdate."[29] On January 29, 2020, the team behind the event (now named "Playdate Pop Up") announced that Panic was joining the event as a sponsor and would assist the event in petitioning for nonprofit status; however, the LA Zinefest event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[30] [31]

Release

Playdate was initially set for release in early 2020, but preorders were delayed until July 29, 2021.[32] Panic sold through its initial order of 20,000 units set to ship in 2021 within the first 20 minutes of its preorder.[33] Playdates started shipping to customers on April 18, 2022.[34]

Playdate was generally well-received upon its release, with criticism notably around the lack of a backlit screen and long shipping times.[35] The Verge praised its initial library of games, stating "What's on offer in the initial batch of games is great," and "even in this crowded landscape, Playdate offers something entirely unique."[36] IGN's review stated, "the screen's lack of a backlight can be a frustrating limitation. But you know what? The Playdate charmed me and I am now fully under its spell."[37] Input Mag wrote, "It really seems like every opportunity Panic found to do something special, it took it."[38]

On April 18, 2023, Panic confirmed to The Verge that the Playdate has sold more than 53,000 units to-date, with 27,000 of those units shipped. Panic expected fulfillment of their existing 26,000 preorders by the end of 2023.[39]

On May 1, 2023, Panic announced via Twitter[40] that 53,368 Playdates had been pre-ordered so far, with 20,000 games downloaded from their on-device store Catalog.

On February 13, 2024, Panic stated via Twitter[41] that over 70,000 Playdates had been sold.

References

  1. Web site: Guichet . Alex . Playdate News Roundup: June 2019 - First Gameplay Footage, Processor Specs, and The Talk Show appearance . The Missing Quests . June 3, 2019 . 30 November 2020 . en.
  2. Playdate . playdate . 1400845335828697088 . June 4, 2021 . PPS: three things we're authorized to leak now ① Playdate's final price is $179. ② We've doubled the internal storage to 4GB. ③ And! We've DOUBLED the number of Season One games. No joke. 24 games come free with your Playdate. More in the update! . en . June 11, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210604160915/https://twitter.com/playdate/status/1400845335828697088 . June 4, 2021 . live.
  3. News: Lambie . Ryan . Don't Panic!: How the Playdate injects a bit of whimsy into handheld gaming . 22 September 2022 . Wireframe magazine . June 13, 2022 . en.
  4. News: We did it. We shipped over 70,000 Playdate pre-orders. We're all caught up. . February 13, 2024 . Twitter.
  5. Web site: First Panic Playdate Review: The Weirdest, Best Fidget Game Console Ever . 2024-05-27 . CNET. April 18, 2022 . en-US.
  6. Web site: Playdate, a new handheld console backed by indie royalty, unveiled in new issue of Edge magazine . Edge Staff. gamesradar. 2019-05-22. en. 2019-05-22.
  7. Web site: First Playdate orders begin shipping today . 2022-10-18 . Engadget . April 18, 2022 . en-US.
  8. Web site: Fahey . Mike . The People Who Published Firewatch Are Now Making A Game Console With, Uh, A Crank . 2019-05-22 . Kotaku . May 22, 2019 . en-US.
  9. Mrgan . Neven . mrgan . 1132387680157720577 . May 25, 2019 . @McLeanBen @playdate Believe it or not, the Sharp Memory LCD is quite expensive—much more so than a typical display today But we like its unique look, and making something different is our motivation! . en . December 2, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211017024807/https://twitter.com/mrgan/status/1132387680157720577 . October 17, 2021 . live.
  10. Web site: Sharp Memory in Pixel Displays - Sharp. www.sharpsma.com. 2019-05-28.
  11. Web site: Does Playdate support Bluetooth? - Playdate Help . 2024-04-05 . help.play.date . en-US.
  12. Web site: Panic's Playdate handheld will be available for pre-order in July . 2022-07-16 . Engadget . June 8, 2021 . en-US.
  13. Web site: Playdate is an adorable handheld with games from the creators of Qwop, Katamari, and more. Webster. Andrew. 2019-05-22. The Verge. 2019-05-22.
  14. Web site: Peters . Jay . April 26, 2022 . Panic isn't sure if people will like the Playdate's seasonal model . The Verge.
  15. Web site: "Catalog, Playdate's On-Device Store, Launches Today With New Games During The Latest Playdate Update" - Games Press . 2023-04-26 . www.gamespress.com.
  16. News: Small Wonder. subscription. Simpkins. Jen. May 23, 2019. Edge. May 25, 2019.
  17. Web site: Crank Gaming Handheld's Creators Trying To Make Amends For Poorly Worded Email. Gach. Ethan. Kotaku. May 29, 2019 . en-US. 2019-05-30.
  18. Web site: May 23, 2019 . Playdate, a tiny game console with a big pedigree . 2019-05-28 . Boing Boing . en-US.
  19. Web site: Mrgan . Neven . 2021-08-30 . Playdate Pulp: Zero to video game in 60 Seconds . 2022-04-21 . Game Developer . en.
  20. 1132888619872444416. playdate. @White_LotusPA @devilsgarage It WILL be open. You will always be able to side load games onto it, no jail breaking required.. Playdate. Playdate. May 27, 2019. December 2, 2022. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210608213733/https://twitter.com/playdate/status/1132888619872444416. June 8, 2021. live.
  21. Playdate . Playdate . playdate . 1131307594939654144 . May 22, 2019 . But here's the trick: every game is a secret. They're all included with system, and they will be delivered to you each week, for a few months. Our dream is simple: that you wake up on new game day excited to see what you can play next. https://t.co/gq6woriP4h . en . December 2, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210608002611/https://twitter.com/playdate/status/1131307594939654144 . June 8, 2021 . live.
  22. Edge, 2020. Left Turn. (353), p.9.
  23. Web site: This New Gaming Handheld Has a Crank (!!) And Looks Cool as Hell. 2019-05-26. Waypoint - Forum. en. 2019-05-28.
  24. Web site: Playdate. Pre-orders begin in July. . 2021-06-08 . play.date . en.
  25. June 8, 2021 . ✨ Playdate Update —6/8/2021 . Panic . . December 2, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221108083525/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeWGukDrc1U . November 8, 2022 . live.
  26. Web site: Campbell . Colin . 2019-05-22 . Handheld games device Playdate looks adorable and innovative . 2022-07-16 . Polygon . en-US.
  27. Web site: Panic's Playdate is a pint-sized gaming machine with a 'season' of 12 intriguing titles . 2022-07-16 . TechCrunch . en-US.
  28. Web site: Klepek, Patrick . 2019-05-28 . That Gaming Handheld With a Crank Asked a Queer Games Showcase to Change Its Name . 2019-05-28 . Waypoint.
  29. Cabel . Cabel . cabel . 1133369584663244802 . May 28, 2019 . @alienmelon @PlaydateGS @playdate My intention was always to find a way for our Playdates to co-exist joyfully. I was worried we would overshadow yours. That sounded entitled — I'm sorry. I thought your idea to add "pop up" was great, but we remain fine with you using the name Playdate. Please, keep using it. https://t.co/Ysxd8m7GXA . en . December 2, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220508001659/https://twitter.com/cabel/status/1133369584663244802 . May 8, 2022 . live.
  30. Web site: The Playdate Pop Up 2020 Team . 2020-01-29 . Welcome to 2020 - The Playdate Pop Up Blog . 2020-03-21.
  31. Playdate . PlaydateGS . 1245414912181993472 . April 1, 2020 . As you may have already seen, the LA Zine Fest is cancelled which means Playdate Pop Up is as well. You can read our full statement here: https://t.co/5FUtevhrt3 https://t.co/Qp7rBoGos4 . en . December 2, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220716185523/https://twitter.com/PlaydateGS/status/1245414912181993472 . July 16, 2022 . live.
  32. Web site: Igor Bonifacic . 2020-10-30 . $149 Playdate handheld is 'ready to go,' orders start in early 2021 . 2021-08-21 . Engadget . en-US.
  33. Web site: Panic sells 20,000+ Playdate handhelds in under 20 minutes . 2021-07-29 . TechCrunch . en-US.
  34. Playdate . Playdate . playdate . 1516099269979262976 . April 18, 2022 . Oh! A new Playdate Update video is here! It recaps the great developer things we've released this year, like Pulp and the Playdate SDK. Please enjoy it. https://t.co/LXkuR8Isnk There's one extra important bit in the update. Playdates in Group One will begin shipping… …today. https://t.co/T58YihE6f3 . en . December 2, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220720183310/https://twitter.com/playdate/status/1516099269979262976 . July 20, 2022 . live.
  35. The Playdate Packs Hours of Gaming Fun in Your Pocket . 2022-07-16 . Wired . en-US.
  36. Web site: Webster . Andrew . 2022-04-18 . Playdate review: all it's cranked up to be . 2022-07-16 . The Verge . en.
  37. Web site: Macy . Seth G. . 2022-04-18 . Playdate Review . 2022-07-16 . IGN . en.
  38. Web site: Campbell . Ian Carlos . Review: You'll love the Playdate, if you can find one . 2022-07-16 . Input . May 26, 2022 . en.
  39. News: Panic says it's sold more than 50,000 Playdate handhelds . April 18, 2023 . The Verge.
  40. Web site: Playdate on Twitter: It's hard to believe, but Playdate has been shipping for one year now! . 2023-05-02 . Twitter . en.
  41. Web site: Feb 13, 2024 . We did it. We shipped over 70,000 Playdate pre-orders. We're all caught up. . X.

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