The brand new Playdate handheld system will be available to pre-order soon.
Announced all the way back in 2019, the colourful new console looks a little bit like the Game Boy Advance SP, only without the flip-up screen.
What makes the device really stand out is the addition of a crank controller on the side of the machine. This can be used to scroll through text and control characters in select games.
Speaking of games, Playdate customers will receive two free games a week for 12 weeks in total.
“That’s 24 free games, in lots of genres,” reads the official description. “Some are short. Some are long. Will you love them all? Probably not. Will you have a great time trying them? Absolutely.”
As an added bonus, the Playdate doubles as a clock when not being used to play games.
If you’re interested in picking one up, the innovative Playdate console has been given a late 2021 release date.
However, due to a limited supply at launch, you’ll need to pre-order sooner rather than later if you want one this year.
The Playdate will be available to pre-order at 6pm BST UK time from July 29.
According to the company behind the Playdate console, the first batch of 20,000 consoles will ship in 2021, while additional orders will be fulfilled in 2022.
Pre-order customers will need to pay for the console in full, although full refunds will be given if you decide to cancel your order.
The manufacturer will increase production if the console proves popular, so fingers crossed we don’t get any PS5-style stock shortages.
In terms of a price, the Playdate costs $179 in the US, which works out at around £130 for fans living in the UK.
The console will launch alongside a Stereo Speaker (which doubles as a charger), as well as a magnetic cover. Both will need to be ordered separately.
Sadly for some fans, the Playdate will initially only be available in select countries.
This includes the US, UK, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Australia and Canada. You can see the full list of supported countries below…
Playdate launch countries in full…
• United States (including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands)
• United Kingdom
• Canada
• Australia
• Belgium
• Denmark
• France
• Germany
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland