Back in 2019, Firewatch’s publisher Panic announced an interesting handheld console called the Playdate. It was a tiny console that looked like it might easily slip into your pocket, but what was interesting was the fact that it featured the use of a hand crank that you could use to play games with.
The console was originally pegged for a 2020 release, but it looks like it was delayed, but the good news is that if the Playdate caught your eye, you’ll be able to pre-order it right now. The console was initially priced at $149 but it seems that the company has since revised the pricing where it will now cost $179.
The company is estimating that pre-orders placed now will most likely end up shipping in 2022. For those who missed our earlier coverage, the Playdate is a small handheld console with a 2.7-inch display. Its creators have made a creative decision to go with the use of a monochrome LCD instead of color, which we think adds a certain retro charm to it.
As for its games, they are going with an interesting concept called “Seasons” in which gamers will get two brand new games every week for 12 weeks for a total of 24 games. There are also plans to release an SDK so that if you’re so inclined, you can go ahead and make games for the Playdate as well.