Oh, and it has a crank on the side.
But who is this $179 equipment for?
Why Panic?
Panic
In short, Sasser is a lover of technological kitsch.
So, the first answer to “who is the Playdate for?”
is Sasser, and his co-founder Steven Frank.
Panic
The result is a console for people that love fun, and appreciate retro tech.
Its also for people who love beautifully designed gadgets.
The dock also runs a version of the 2021Apple Design Award-finalist appPoolsuite FM, a beautifully retro music/radio app.
The Playdate
The games are retro in aesthetic, and also in their simplicity.
And this brings us to the most obviously odd feature of the playdateits crank.
The crank is just that, a flip out winder on the side of the console.
The crank lets you flip pages, control motion, and all kinds of other neat and unexpected things.
At $179, the Playdate is either a cheap game console or a mid-priced adult toy.
And thats why it doesnt have to compete with Nintendo or Sony.
It doesnt have to compete with anything, because for many buyers, its enough that it simply exists.
