Announcing the Playdate™ handheld video game system.

May 16th, 2019

Announcing the Playdate™ handheld video game system.

By Cabel

After more than 20 years of making quality apps you love for Mac and iOS, Panic was ready to try something new…

…and that something was hardware.

Today, after more than four years of work by a small and talented team within Panic, we are extremely excited to introduce Playdate, a brand new handheld gaming system, arriving in early 2020.

Playdate is both very familiar, and totally new. It’s yellow, and fits perfectly in a pocket. It has a black-and-white screen with high reflectivity, a crystal-clear image, and no backlight. And of course, it has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C, and a headphone jack. But it also has a crank. Yes, a crank: a cute, rotating analog controller that flips out from the side. It’s literally revolutionary.

It also includes a full season of original games, at no extra charge, delivered each week to the system — games in all sorts of genres that are all hopefully surprises.

Yes, this is all real.

Now before you ask, and you will ask, don’t worry, yes we’re still developing Mac and iOS software. In fact, we’ll be releasing a preview of the next major version of Coda later this year. Stay tuned!

But if you enjoy games, if you like beautiful things, or if you just enjoy having fun, you might enjoy Playdate. Hopefully it’s unexpected, but also totally Panic. We really think it’ll brighten your life.

Learn About Playdate

Posted at 2:30 pm 17 Comments

Michael

5/22/2019 5:04 PM

Teenage Engineering makes great, crazy stuff. I’d say the two of you together is a match made in heaven. Great job! I look forward to getting my hands on one.

kc! Bradshaw

5/22/2019 7:53 PM

Lovely. Clever. Wonderful. Exciting. EXCITING!!

Chad

5/22/2019 10:04 PM

Gerry

5/23/2019 4:15 AM

It seems that as tech matures, that new tech begins to lose the “special” quality that makes you say “wow.”
Panic, thanks for the surprise. Instantly put a grin on my face and yes, I will be buying one.

Dusher16

5/23/2019 4:34 AM

Can we program games for Playdate? How? Exists an IDE ? Developer’s program ? or it’s an close portable console only for play Panic Games ?

Craig

5/23/2019 6:40 AM

I’ve been using Panic apps for over a decade and the current versions are getting really outdated. It would be great it you spent more time updating your core apps and less time pi$$ing around with games and crap. I get the novelty but christ-on-a-crutch could you please just do what your customers want?!?!?!?

I seldom use Coda anymore and Transmit is no longer installed on my computers. And you have a loyal group of people who would happily PAY for a new Status Board.

Paul

5/23/2019 8:25 AM

Down with the naysayers, I say build a game called MicroManager where a person with no insight into the inner workings of the company shuffles resources between projects without knowing how big the teams are or what each person’s expertise is … and then no matter what they do, everything ships on time. MicroManagers need something easy to win at, to keep them occupied & out of the way.

Phillip Platz

5/23/2019 9:15 AM

Don’t listen to Craig. He’s a troll.

Love this! Thanks for being you, Panic.

LOL and points to Paul for his remarks.

Dan

5/23/2019 11:15 AM

I love Panic. I have been a fan since Unison. I use Transmit and Prompt every single day and pay my mortgage with the work those tools help me produce. I think I own every app you make.

I didn’t know you were making games. I’ll buy them too. I have an XBox One and a Mac.

I hope that Playdate is out for Christmas.

Good luck.

skrrt

5/23/2019 11:24 AM

Fuck you Craig.

Michael

5/24/2019 11:01 AM

I side with Craig on this one. I love Panic as well but Panic software is showing some age and would love to see them work more on improving Coda (long overdue), Transmit and bring back Status Board. Other than a cute concept I don’t see Playdate going far. Just my thoughts.

Jimmy

5/25/2019 10:05 AM

@Craig & @Michael: Massive Coda update is apparently coming soon, I never used Status Board so I can’t comment one way or another on that one, but the question is: what’s you guys’ problem with Transmit? It’s fully up-to-date, does everything all the other FTP apps do (and a bit more), it’s blazing fas, seems to get updates every couple of months or so…why are you lumping that one in with your other complaints?