Playdate’s failure to launch in Malaysia
-
Loading... - Ndari Aisah
- 08 Feb 2023
- 60 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
When Panic first announced the Playdate in 2019, it became a curious object of speculation. What was this strange new device, and how would we get our hands on it?
First impressions revealed a quirky new toy with equally eccentric retro-flavored games designed for its D-pad controls and signature feature, a foldable hand crank. With its tiny black-and-white screen and “seasonal” games from indie stars like Keita Takahashi (working with Ryan Mohler under the name “uvula”), Bennett Foddy, Dave Hoffman (davemakes), and Serenity Forge, the Playdate felt like a no-brainer purchase for so many reasons: novelty, nostalgia, creative experimentation, and a return to intimate explorations of fun and the sort of general goofballery that you just don’t get on major consoles. (The Playdate also allows sideloaded games, so devs can make games with the Playdate creation tool, Pulp, and sell them on itch.io.)
The first wave of preorders sold out in less than 20 minutes. I, too, was ready to throw fistfuls of cash at Panic, especially after learning that this tiny yellow dream was being manufactured in Malaysia, right next door to me in Singapore. Theoretically, this sounds like it should be a big win for Southeast Asian indie games from both game-making and consumer standpoints. But in truth, it feels like more of a sore spot and an unfortunate case study for the messy, post-imperialistic business of manufacturing and logistics.
When Leeying Foo first heard that the Playdate was being made in her home country, she was pumped. “I was very thrilled and honestly very proud!” said Foo, an award-winning UX/UI designer in Kuala Lumpur. “But it soon became apparent that the console would be a very niche and limited console that not a lot of people would be able to get their hands on.” The Star, a major English-language paper in the country, ran a pointed news story with the headline: “Playdate gaming console: Made in Malaysia, but not available in Malaysia.” Read More…
