Playdate – A New Handheld Gaming System • Hacker News Board

Re: Playdate – A New Handheld Gaming System

#211

Post by bigiain » Thu, May 23, 2019, 3:47 AM UTC

dangus wrote: post #198

I'll give this idea one plus - it's a got a playful, fun design. I get the idea of going simple and fun with this. As a device to plunk down $150 on, no way. - If the crank is so fun, they didn't manage to show it. - Hopefully they'll show more games, because the promise of 12 black and white games involving two buttons a crank isn't awe-inspiring. - The 2DS is the same price and is vastly more powerful and capable.…

That's fine. You're not their target market.

I think it's a hilarious idea, and will 100% buy one if I can. I have zero interest in buying a 2DS or Switch though.

Teenage Engineering seem to have a nice little "lifestyle business" producing electronics that most people just go "But why?"

(Also, the crank is demonstrated in the last image is you scroll right down the page. It looks fun!

Re: Playdate – A New Handheld Gaming System

#212

Post by nathanvanfleet » Thu, May 23, 2019, 3:49 AM UTC

I have a bunch of Teenage Engineerings Pocket Operators. I definitely see this as something very similar. It will probably be surprisingly powerful as a platform, but still not going to be trying to compete with the Switch. They'll concentrate on making a fun experience over pushing the boundaries of technology.

Re: Playdate – A New Handheld Gaming System

#213

Post by [deleted] » Thu, May 23, 2019, 3:52 AM UTC

madrox wrote: post #209

mastrsushi wrote: post #208

This company seems well aware they aren't a match for Nintendo. Based on the comments, Hacker News does not seem very aware. Much like how Teenage Engineering's OP-1 is not competitively priced. This is another example of an insightfully designed, well built product for adults. Older millenials looking for a sentimental package so they can feel like it's their 8th birthday again. They are reunboxing a gameboy color.…

This is the best take, and I'm excited to live in a world where hardware entertainment devices don't require mass market appeal and can be "artisanal." In many ways, I think this is the antidote to a lot of the bad behaviors Silicon Valley has developed in the last several years. Sometimes not achieving hyperscale is OK.

[deleted]

Re: Playdate – A New Handheld Gaming System

#214

Post by cormacrelf » Thu, May 23, 2019, 3:55 AM UTC

mastrsushi wrote: post #208

This company seems well aware they aren't a match for Nintendo. Based on the comments, Hacker News does not seem very aware. Much like how Teenage Engineering's OP-1 is not competitively priced. This is another example of an insightfully designed, well built product for adults. Older millenials looking for a sentimental package so they can feel like it's their 8th birthday again. They are reunboxing a gameboy color.…

Not competitively priced? Yes it costs a lot, but it's pretty easy to drop a grand on music equipment. You could buy a decent guitar, a vintage synth, half of a small Nord 4 piano, or a drum kit. It's dead on midrange for an instrument of that calibre, which it absolutely is. It seems expensive because its popularity and apparent ability to turn anyone into a musician make it appeal to the amateur market, who would normally buy a Squier strat or a practice drum off Craigslist. TE caters to these folks with less ambitious products. The OP-1 only really competes in the sense that these folks just save up for longer, because it really is worth that much.

Whether or not it's accurate for the OP-1, I think your analysis applies perfectly to the Playdate.

Re: Playdate – A New Handheld Gaming System

#215

Post by emdowling » Thu, May 23, 2019, 4:00 AM UTC

Not to discount the hardware, which looks absolutely beautiful, but what strikes me the most is the business model.

A new game, every Monday, delivered wirelessly to your pocket.

What excites me about Playdate is that it is something only an outsider with no attachments to existing business relationships could make.

Games released today are still encumbered by the regional and geographic thinking of traditional software distribution. While Steam, the App Store, etc have certainly democratised some aspects, they are still an exception to the traditional model that generates the most revenue.

Episodic games tried to bring seasonality to gaming. That didn’t really work (Episode 3 anyone?). Fortnite has been the most successful at it, but it is still a AAA game attached to a big publisher. It’s the evolution of the old model.

Playdate and Apple’s upcoming Arcade feel like the beginning of a new model and that’s really, really exciting.

Re: Playdate – A New Handheld Gaming System

#216

Post by gabcoh » Thu, May 23, 2019, 4:04 AM UTC

Zenbit_UX wrote: post #164

binaryblitz wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> stagnant casual mobile gaming space Between Switch and a lot of great mobile games I'm not sure how it's stagnant.

Do people consider the switch a mobile platform? I mean it sort of is but... It's really a console. Depends how you define mobile, if mobile === carry in your pocket it's not. If mobile === independent from a TV then yes.

It’s very common for high school kids (in America) to take their switch from class to class and play during free periods. A lot of people take their switch everywhere in their bag and just prop it up when they want to play a quick game of smash with friends.

So yes, I would definitely consider the switch mobile

Re: Playdate – A New Handheld Gaming System

#217

Post by dbish » Thu, May 23, 2019, 4:10 AM UTC

mastrsushi wrote: post #208

This company seems well aware they aren't a match for Nintendo. Based on the comments, Hacker News does not seem very aware. Much like how Teenage Engineering's OP-1 is not competitively priced. This is another example of an insightfully designed, well built product for adults. Older millenials looking for a sentimental package so they can feel like it's their 8th birthday again. They are reunboxing a gameboy color.…

Agreed. I've been thinking about a market for small batch or boutique electronics in various markets for a while. There is boutique furniture, small batch alcohol, all sorts of small runs that would never compete with the big guys but still make money and are fun for people to buy. More people should get into it. The biggest barrier to entry may be that you have to self fund for these smaller attempts.

Re: Playdate – A New Handheld Gaming System

#218

Post by logicprog » Thu, May 23, 2019, 4:12 AM UTC

I'm really excited about this. I've always kind of wanted Teenage Engineering tech because low-fi, tactile, single purpose devices always appeal to me, but I seem to have anti-musical ability so couldn't justify one. This is something I could actually use and enjoy, and I would love to take a crack at developing for it.

Re: Playdate – A New Handheld Gaming System

#219

Post by MegaButts » Thu, May 23, 2019, 4:17 AM UTC

dbish wrote: post #217

mastrsushi wrote: post #208

This company seems well aware they aren't a match for Nintendo. Based on the comments, Hacker News does not seem very aware. Much like how Teenage Engineering's OP-1 is not competitively priced. This is another example of an insightfully designed, well built product for adults. Older millenials looking for a sentimental package so they can feel like it's their 8th birthday again. They are reunboxing a gameboy color.…

Agreed. I've been thinking about a market for small batch or boutique electronics in various markets for a while. There is boutique furniture, small batch alcohol, all sorts of small runs that would never compete with the big guys but still make money and are fun for people to buy. More people should get into it. The biggest barrier to entry may be that you have to self fund for these smaller attempts.

There's also the fact that making consumer electronics is incredibly hard, and even when talented engineers attempt to fulfill their overfunded kickstarters they often fail.

I'm not saying I don't love the idea of boutique electronics. I'm just saying it's not really for the faint of heart.

Re: Playdate – A New Handheld Gaming System

#220

Post by sergiotapia » Thu, May 23, 2019, 4:18 AM UTC

egypturnash wrote: post #210

sergiotapia wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're judging a whole person over a single uttered word. Thankfully normal people don't operate at that insane level. My son's elementary school friends are not racist. Rappers are not racist. The latinos in my miami neighborhood are not racist. Twitter has given loons a public platform to spew their garbage and websites encourage it because outrage sells. Enjoy your 2 minutes of hate.

[flagged]

Sweaty, why do you give Disney of all companies a single slice of authority over what is good or bad?