Panic Launches New Playdate Handheld Game Console

Black & White Gaming with a Crank

Veteran software publisher Panic is launching their new Playdate handheld console. It is not taking on Nintendo‘s Switch directly. In fact, it is different even compared to Nintendo’s original Gameboy. Even though it has a directional pad and B plus A buttons, it is not going to be playing Nintendo’s games.

Instead, Panic will be releasing their own games for Playdate. So far, they have announced a season’s worth of 12 games. This will have a release schedule of one game per month, but the games are included when you purchase the hardware.

It also differs because it has an analog crank on the side. This provides another dimension to the controls that is unique from other games. So far, Panic has only revealed one title (Crankin’s Time Travel Adventure, pictured above). Although they did tease that we can expect games from notable indie designers like Keita Takahashi, Zach Gage, Bennett Foddy and Shaun Inman.

How Much is Panic’s Playdate Console?

The handheld console has an MSRP of just $149. It may sound steep for something with only a 400 x 240 monochrome LCD screen. However, the games are already included in the price. These games are apparently delivered automatically, so we can probably expect some WiFi functionality from the hardware as well (not confirmed). An alternate photo also shows a USB port underneath, so it may get updates through that connection as well.

The actual launch date is not expected until 2020. For now, you can see more information via the console’s official website.