It doesn't look very much like a game console, but rather like a Chinese speaking alarm clock.
Back in 2019, Habré published news about a new pocket console for indie games from Panic. She is known for her iOS developments like Firewatch and Untitled Goose Game. Now Panic has decided to create a fundamentally new console that many people may like.
Fundamentally new does not mean that it is something brilliant. It's just that the concept of a console is really unlike anything else. She has a small display, and without any superfluous things, it is "electronic paper". The resolution is only 400 * 240. There are wireless communication modules, a USB-C connector, but the most interesting thing is a rotary knob for control. It allows you to control both time and movement. More details about the new product - under the cut, the thing is really interesting.
What is this madhouse?
Yes, the device is unlike anything we've seen so far in the gaming segment. Some sort of GameBoy hybrid with a hurdy-gurdy. The idea came to the developers a long time ago, and they started to implement it a couple of years ago together with the electronics company Teenage Engineering.
The set-top box has a 2.7-inch monochrome display, which is made using Sharp Memory technology with a resolution of 400 × 240 pixels, plus a D-pad cross, plus two control buttons, like Nintendo's (A and B). Little RAM - only 16 MB, internal memory - 2 GB. The handle is designed to control specially designed games, it will not be used in all titles.
As for the operating system, this is the company's own development, which is called PlayDate OS. The console also has a built-in speaker, a standard headphone jack, a USB-C port, plus a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth communication module.
This year, the console also received the Stereo Dock, a docking station with a pen holder and stereo speakers. The console is attached with magnets. The docking station is also used to charge the device.
The console is not proprietary, it is an open system that will also allow you to download games without having to hack anything.
The only thing that is still unclear is whether the docking station will be delivered with a set-top box or this $ 179 is the cost of the console itself with games and a pen. Hopefully everything is included.
Something else
The console is interesting not only for its hardware, but also for its games . First, let's talk about the distribution scheme. The console comes with 12 titles, the cost of games is included in the starting price. But the most interesting thing begins later: the owners of the console will receive new games on a regular basis. As far as we know, these are at least two games per week.
The download is free. The cycle lasts 12 weeks, during which players will receive 24 games.
The company said it doesn't want to showcase long gameplay videos as it wants to leave a pleasant surprise for later. The console cannot be called a pig in a poke, since the videos of the console itself and a couple of games (short videos) are posted by the company on YouTube. In the video, the developers talk about the new product in sufficient detail to decide on a purchase (or not).
Here is a list of games at launch:
- Crankin's Time Travel Adventure, developed by uvula (Keita Takahashi, Ryan Mohler), Matthew Grimm and Shaun Inman
- Battleship Godios, developed by TPM.CO SOFT WORKS
- Boogie Loops by May-Li Khoe and Andy Matuschak
- Casual Birder, developed by Diego Garcia; music by Max Coburn
- DemonQuest 85, Alex Ashby, Lawrence Bishop, Duncan Fyfe, Belinda Leung Jared Emerson-Johnson
- Echoic Memory, Samantha Kalman, Everest Pipkin, Carol Mertz Rachelle Viola
- Executive Golf DX, davemakes
- Flipper Lifter, Serenity Forge
- Forrest Byrnes: Up in Smoke, Nels Anderson Christina “castpixel” Neofotistou
- Hyper Meteor, Vertex Pop
- Lost Your Marbles, Sweet Baby Inc. & Friends
- Omaze, Gregory Kogos.
- Pick Pack Pup, Nic Magnier Arthur Hamer; Logan Gabriel
- Questy Chess, Dadako
- Ratcheteer, Shaun Inman, Matthew Grimm Charlie Davis
- Sasquatchers, Chuck Jordan; Jared Emerson-Johnson
- Snak, Zach Gage; Neven Mrgan
- Spellcorked !, developed by Jada Gibbs, Nick Splendorr, Ryan Splendorr, and Tony Ghostbrite; music A Shell in the Pit (Em Halberstadt)
- Zipper by Bennett Foddy
- Saturday Edition, developed by Chris Makris music A Shell in the Pit (Gord McGladdery, Alfonso Salinas)
- Whitewater Wipeout, developed by Chuhai Labs
What about developers?
Most likely, in the future, the company will open its own catalog of games, where there will be both paid and free toys. The advantage of this console is that anyone can develop games. As mentioned above, the system is completely open, so everyone is welcome.
By the end of 2021, the company will release a free set of tools for creating games on PlayDate. DevKit will be available from the browser.
By the way, Doom has already been ported to the console (how could it be without it). You can shoot in the game using the same handle or button A. On the monochrome display, the game does not look very good, but if you consider that Doom was ported even to an advanced electronic pregnancy test, then everything is fine, you can play.
The console will go on sale in July 2021, priced at $ 179.
