If you played the charming 2016 exploration game Firewatch, you might have stumbled across an early design of the Playdate: a brand new handheld console for indie games.
Meet the Playdate: Panic’s Game‑Crank Craze
What’s a Playdate?
It’s a pocket‑sized, yellow gaming gadget from Portland’s own Panic, the folks behind Firewatch. Toss in their upcoming Untitled Goose Game and they’re ready to shake up the industry. The device is essentially a handheld console powered by nothing—spins a crank, not to charge its battery.
The Crank: Real Mechanism, Not Just a Fan‑Favorite
Picture that crank as “the dumbest gimmick ever” (over one thousand likes), yet the creators say they like it just because it’s absurd. “It’s a total a‑hole goose,” some fans quipped.
- PlayDate Tweet: “I… it… there will be no AAA games unless we can convince Ubisoft to make a totally black‑and‑white Assassins Creed… using a crank.”
- TheEpicJames Tweet: “that crank is the dumbest gimmick in all of existence and i love it.”
How the Yellow Box Came to Life
Team Panic teamed up with Teenage Engineering, the go‑to for cult‑fave audio gear loved by Depeche Mode, Swedish House Mafia, Beck, and Bon Iver. “We had no mechanical know‑how… we slid an email in and they were on board,” the Playdate team admits.
Hardware That Sizzles
The playmate features a monochrome 1‑bit screen and a hand crank that actually influences gameplay. Stylish, retro‑futuristic, and menacingly humming, it screams “hipster” right out of the box.
All That Software, Spanning Indie Legends
Alongside the crank, the device is a platform for high‑profile indie devs:
- Keita Takahashi – the mastermind behind Katamari.
- Bennett Foddy – famous for QWOP and the maddening Getting Over It.
- Zach Gage – “self‑confessed SpellTower addict” (yes, that’s me).
With a unique game library and an unusual mechanic, Playdate isn’t just another gadget – it’s a cultural statement waiting to be spun. Grab one of those lapsus‑butt kicks, turn that crank, and enjoy a genuinely dumb yet delightful gaming experience that’ll make everyone feel like they’re part of a whimsical, indie‑society reunion.
Photo: Panic
Playdate will have twelve seasons of content, each full of surprise games that will be automatically downloaded upon release. Think of it as a seasonal loot box made of indie developer dreams. Given that Playdate has been four years in the making, we’re excited to see where Panic can go with their new toy.
Expect to get your paws on these precious yellow treasures in 2020, for a fairly reasonable US$149.
Digital
