The Playdate handheld gaming system by Panic seems to finally be available for purchase for Malaysian customers. This availability was first reported by Amanz last week and it seems that while the device is not sold in Malaysia, it can be ordered through its site and shipped here from the US.
In case you’re not familiar, Playdate was first announced back in 2019 and released in 2022 after some delays. Its lack of absence in Malaysia was notable as the handheld is actually manufactured in Sungai Petani, Kedah, where even the developer pointed out the irony in its FAQ page and explained that it was for tax reasons. Because of this, Panic said that it would be too expensive for the customer for the company to ship the device to its warehouse in the US and then back to Malaysia, but it seems they’ve changed their stance on that.
The handheld console sports a black-and-white 1-but display that uses an LCD screen with a similar function to e-ink displays. It has a directional pad, two game buttons, and a mechanical crank that is used as a controller for some games and can be tucked away.
As for the actual gaming offerings, it comes with a total of 24 games included and the interesting part is that once you set it up, you will actually get two games per week for 12 weeks via Wi-Fi. And, of course, if you want more games, you can purchase and download them through its Catalog app store.
The Playdate by Panic is available on its online shop for US$199, which is roughly RM948, and another US$20 (~RM95) for the optional bundle with a cover. Unfortunately, this is not including shipping and taxes, which will bring up the total to a whopping US$249 (~RM1,186).
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