Panic is a software publisher responsible for bringing the world Firewatch and the upcoming Untitled Goose Game. Now, Panic is branching into hardware development with a new handheld system called Playdate, scheduled for a 2020 release.

Priced at $149 and developed in tandem with Swedish company Teenage Engineering, Playdate is a two-button-and-one-crank handheld system that receives software via digital download. Games will be packaged in seasons, and the inaugural 12-game season is included with Playdate’s entry price.

The first announced title, Crankin’s Time Travel Adventure, utilizes the system’s aforementioned crank as the player’s main method of input.

Initial stock of Playdate is expected to be extremely limited, so Panic is asking interested gamers to sign up for notifications via their product page.

Our Take

Playdate has an appealing design, an intriguing input option and a low asking price. We’ve certainly signed up for updates.