The Playdate: Why is it so popular?

Preorders for the Playdate console recently went live, and to Panic’s (One of the companies behind the Playdate console) surprise, their 20,000 units of the device, which was the 2021 batch, sold out in under 20 minutes. Today, I’ll be going over what this console is and why demand might be so high.

First of all, what exactly is the Playdate? The Playdate is a console made by a partnership between Panic and Teenage Engineering that happens to be inspired by retro consoles such as the Gameboy. It has a crank on its side that can be used for controlling certain games, too. Like older handheld consoles, the Playdate will feature a black and white screen as well. This device will start at $179, with it getting games in seasons. Two games are scheduled to release every week for the first three months of it’s release.

Now that we know what this handheld is, what could be possible reasons as to why demand is so high for this console? One possible explanation is that people like the retro design and games this console is going for, as it reminds them of previous consoles they might have gotten, like the Gameboy. They would like to experience the nostalgia and feeling of previous consoles they have owned in this device. Another possibility is that due to the pandemic, people are looking for entertainment in various ways, but because of this most gaming consoles such as the Ps5 and Steamdeck are in high demand, and will take time to purchase. Some people might think that this console may have lower demand due to it not being as powerful as next-gen consoles, therefore raising the interest in this product.

Overall, it seems that the Playdate will be a nice handheld, with a retro feel to it and a decent amount of games. Thank you for reading this article and I hope you have a good day.