Very recently, a new indie-focused handheld gaming device is coming from videogame-publisher Panic, the company behind Firewatch and Untitled Goose Game, and its goal is to bring Game Boy-style charm to the modern masses. It’s called Playdate.
Playdate is a small, yellow handheld gaming device with a simple directional pad, two main face buttons and an innovate hand-crank which is sure to open up new and exciting gameplay experiences.
It’s also got a high-end black-and-white display which is a lot more advanced than a Game Boy screen, as it has no grid lines, no blurring, is extremely sharp and clear, and has much higher resolution. It’s probably significantly helps on battery life as well.
Another cool feature of the Playdate is how you’ll get games. Panic says they will give you a TV show-style delivery system for its games, with one new title arriving on the device per week for a total of 12 weeks in what it’s calling ‘Season One’. Each subsequent season will include a new collection of games, and is expected to incur an additional cost.
So far, only one title has been announced for this first season Crankin’s Time Travel Adventure from Katamari Damacy-creator Keita Takahashi – though the company has revealed that its handheld will include new games from renowned game designers Zach Gage (Typeshift), Bennett Foddy (QWOP) and Shaun Inman (The Last Rocket).
Panic also plans to keep these games a secret until they arrive on the handheld in an effort to surprise its customers. Playdate and its first season of games will launch in early 2020 and will be priced at $149.
