Panic has announced that Playdate, their “unique video game handheld system (with a crank)” will begin shipping to pre-order holders in Group One starting today, April 18, 2022.
a brand-new and truly unique gaming handheld system that is a celebration of video games. It’s yellow. It fits in your pocket. It includes brand new games from amazing creators. It has a beautiful black and white screen. And yes, it also has a crank.
What is the Playdate?
Panic also announced the release of their second Playdate Update video showcase which serves as a catch-up to all the developer news they announced earlier this year.
Key Playdate Update early 2022 Takeaways
- The first batch (Group One) of Playdate systems will be gradually shipped out starting today and in the comings weeks.
- Panic will reach out to customers in Group One in order to communicate when their units will ship, their expected arrival and any additional updates.
- The delivery milestone, a big one also gives us an update for those looking to develop games for the Playdate and interesting news for soon-to-be Playdate owners.
- The publicly-available Playdate Software Development (SDK) will be joined by
- Playdate Pulp is a web-based game-making tool that allows creators to “make a Playdate game. Right here, right now.” on your web browser, Available in public Beta earlier this year.
- Playdate Mirror, The Playdate desktop capture software which allows players to mirror the screen of your connected Playdate in real-time. Perfect for capturing Playdate video so you can stream it or record it locally.
- The development announcement of Catalog, a future Playdate app where you will be able to easily buy or find curated games for Playdate outside of Season One.
- Playdate is ” flexible and open sideloading” and thus will allow developers to easily distribute and sell their games however they see fit.
One of the first commercially third-party games arriving on the playdate is Bloom.
Developed by RNG Party Games, Bloom is a real-time narrative-driven social sim about a flower shop that is played over many real-time days.
Bloom is available for its Itch Io page and purchase it for $9.99 USD. Learn more about Bloom at rngpartygames.itch.io/bloom
Also launching today is the Playdate Podcast. Created as a companion to Season One, it features interviews with the game developers and designers behind the wonderful games that make up Playdate’s first season of games. The first episode, The Story of Playdate, will be available today and listeners can expect a new episode every two weeks.
Subscribe to the Playdate Podcast at podcast.play.date
The crank-tastic handheld system can be preordered on the Playdate website for US$179.
Who are Panic? Founded in 1999, Panic is an ancient corporation in Portland, Oregon that relentlessly follows its heart in an effort to make nicely made things that bring everyday joy. Originally — and still — a Mac app developer, Panic has also become a highly-focused video game publisher that has helped to release into the world Firewatch, Untitled Goose Game, and the upcoming interactive food game, Nour: Play With Your Food. In the spirit of creating products that bring joy, Panic has been incredibly busy finishing development of their very own handheld video game system, Playdate.
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