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Playdate: A new handheld console- with a crank?


Tupin

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just preordered mine! My order number is 40xxx so i'm assuming (?) that they've presold sold 40k+ of these so far!

 

Even if I don't get it until 2023, it'll be well worth the wait! Hoping for 2022 but won't be sad, nor surprised if a delay happens and I get it later then that!

Edited by Pink
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On 7/23/2021 at 7:40 AM, Bill Loguidice said:

First day it should sell more than the VCS, but it might have trouble beating out the Amico, which has a larger headstart and better retail distribution.

I am not a gambler, but I’d say the odds against this seem a lot worse now than when you originally wrote it. I’m trying to keep an open mind though. 
 

Still looking forward to my PlayDate. It would be nice if it arrived while I might have a chance of using it outdoors in the bright sun. Maybe I’ll play some Poolsuite anyway and pretend it’s summertime. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/poolsuite-fm/id1514817810

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On 9/27/2021 at 11:19 AM, Flojomojo said:

I am not a gambler, but I’d say the odds against this seem a lot worse now than when you originally wrote it. I’m trying to keep an open mind though. 
 

Still looking forward to my PlayDate. It would be nice if it arrived while I might have a chance of using it outdoors in the bright sun. Maybe I’ll play some Poolsuite anyway and pretend it’s summertime. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/poolsuite-fm/id1514817810

That's possible. I think it comes down to two things at this point. The first, is if when the Amico is finally released, will they hit the ground running and pick up some momentum or does it have a stigma now it can't overcome? They still will have some advantages with retail distribution, and, considering all of the delays, should have a good backlog of software to roll out on a regular basis. I also feel the technology and concepts have a more mainstream appeal, even if the mainstream may not actually come and buy it. The second is if once the Playdate is in people's hands, I suspect the bloom might be off the rose as it were, potentially stalling its incredible and unexpected momentum (arguably the worst thing to happen to the Playdate's sales is that it actually gets released!). The Playdate still has the stink of something of a fad to me (a bit Ouya-like) and my very real concerns about today's users being frustrated by the purposeful limitations with things like the screen remain.

But yes, right now, as things stand, it looks like my prediction was a poor one. With no known release date for the Amico at this point, the Playdate will almost certainly beat it to market. Of course, the same parts acquisition issues hitting Amico and every other manufacturer of video game hardware may also hit the Playdate after that initial 20,000 units are (hopefully) shipped this year, so we really do have to see where all this ends up. It's hard to hold people's interests past a certain point of time if they don't get units in their hands. Certainly the Amico has suffered from that (I don't even recall when I put in my pre-order for the founder's edition at this point).

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1 hour ago, Bill Loguidice said:

That's possible. I think it comes down to two things at this point. The first, is if when the Amico is finally released, will they hit the ground running and pick up some momentum or does it have a stigma now it can't overcome? They still will have some advantages with retail distribution, and, considering all of the delays, should have a good backlog of software to roll out on a regular basis. I also feel the technology and concepts have a more mainstream appeal, even if the mainstream may not actually come and buy it. The second is if once the Playdate is in people's hands, I suspect the bloom might be off the rose as it were, potentially stalling its incredible and unexpected momentum (arguably the worst thing to happen to the Playdate's sales is that it actually gets released!). The Playdate still has the stink of something of a fad to me (a bit Ouya-like) and my very real concerns about today's users being frustrated by the purposeful limitations with things like the screen remain.
 

I think they are really leaning into the "fad" part of this, though, to their advantage.  They are marketing it as a fun toy, hipster gadget, etc.  The pen holder is proof of that.  Their customers seem to understand that asw ell, and they have marketed the games accordingly.  So I feel their measure of success is quite different than the Ouya, VCS, or the Amico, which have all made claims of grabbing the Brigadoonian Billion+ Candy Crush players who just haven't found that perfect console yet.  Playdate has sold 20K through preorder which already puts it above the VCS (which I think was 11K?) and the stated Amico pre orders of either 8K or 16K (I've heard different numbers).  If we follow their website, they are up to 40K now based on order numbers.  I dunno what they would define success as, but I can't imagine they are counting on 1 million sales.  They seem to be aiming for a smaller pool and scaling their economy around that.  To me, 100K playdates sold would be a pretty good number for their market.  

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
19 hours ago, Intellivision Master said:

I got an email today that my Playdate pre-order has been delayed until 2022.  It was going to be late 2021.  I figured this would happen.  So, it's no surprise really.  But it's still disappointing.  ?

Sadly,anything I have preordered from a video game company has been delayed due to the Pandemic shipping and supply chain crises.

It just goes to show that anyone trying to get a product out to us isnt making any of it up.

It's the real deal!

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Just now, wolfy62 said:

Sadly,anything I have preordered from a video game company has been delayed due to the Pandemic shipping and supply chain crises.

It just goes to show that anyone trying to get a product out to us isnt making any of it up.

It's the real deal!

I know.  I have 3 consoles pre-ordered from 3 different companies and all of them are delayed.  It is what it is sadly. 

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For those that didn't pre-order or get the email, here is just a quick summary.

 

  • 5k finished units were in California
  • After testing the units, they found out about battery issues; they wouldn't hold a charge very long or some wouldn't charge at all
  • Made difficult decision to send back and get a different battery supplier
  • Started placing orders for more factory parts for additional pre-orders
  • Estimated time was 2 years (they verified the chip shortage is very real)
  • To overcome, they have just finished revising main board with a more readily available chip set
  • Other parts are still hard to come by and are working on it

 

I am in Group #2 (10,000-20,000) and its now early 2022.  Groups #3 and #4 are send half 2022 and #5 is late 2022.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 12/9/2021 at 10:31 AM, digdugnate said:

I'm in this boat, too.  Not jonesing, won't be the Second Coming, but it will be a cool device when it's in hobbyist hands.

Yeah I don't think it will revolutionize anything. I like the idea and I like how they aren't acting like it's more than it is. I still have no issues playing simple GB games so that doesn't turn me off that these will be small and simple games.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Cool. Glad to know if I order one today when I could expect to get it. With that long of wait I can hold off for now.

 

This just popped up in my feed and I haven't watched it yet. Nice to see the company being able to get out units to people for hands on impressions.

 

 

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