How to preorder Playdate: Get the Game Boy inspired console with a crank
Playdate, the adorable new handheld console with some serious Game Boy vibes can soon be yours if you follow these steps to preorder.
As an ode to classic old school gaming and a chance for players (and indie developers) to experience something entirely new, the Playdate has certainly piqued a lot of interest in the gaming community. So much interest in fact that the company has managed to sell out the initial batch of 20,000 Playdate consoles already.
Because of its underestimated popularity, Playdate is now in the process of manufacturing more of its namesake console for gamers to pick up in 2022. If you want to be among the lucky few to get their hands on a Playdate, then these are the steps you need to follow.
Where can I buy a Playdate?
At the moment, there’s only one place where you can preorder a Playdate console and that’s over at Playdate’s official website.
Even though pricing is given in US dollars, Playdate does offer international shipping to the following countries:
- United Kingdom
- Canada
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
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How much does Playdate cost?
The Playdate console costs $179 (roughly £129/€151). A full deposit is required to preorder the device, but you can cancel before the Playdate is shipped to receive a full refund.
The company does offer a bundle deal, where you can nab the Playdate console with a folding cover to keep it protected, for the discounted rate of $199.01 (roughly £143/€167). The cover on its own would set you back $29 (roughly £20/€24), so if you do fancy it then the bundle makes a lot more sense.
What is Playdate?
Taking gaming back to basics and attempting to highlight the work of indie developers in the process, the Playdate is a modern console with retro sensibilities. While the console uses a black and white screen (with no backlight whatsoever), it offers games via a delivery service with users getting two new titles every week for 12 weeks. There is word of paid games bought individually making their way to the Playdate, but nothing’s been revealed yet.
Aside from its yellow façade and dinky stature, the most eye-catching element of the Playdate is undoubtedly its crank. Perched on the console’s right-hand side is a proper spinning crank that can be used in gameplay for all manner of things. Playdate has highlighted Crankin’s Time Travel Adventure, which requires the use of the crank to move forwards and backwards on a linear side-scrolling plane. It’s all a bit wacky, but we’re eager to get our hands on the Playdate and see how it all stacks up.
Will you be preordering the Playdate? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter @TrustedReviews
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
