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Panic passes Trump tariff refunds back to the Playdate customers who paid them (arstechnica.com)

submitted 1 month ago by some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org to c/technology@lemmy.world

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One of my favorite software companies of all time. Well, hardware too, these days.

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[-] FireWire400@lemmy.world 68 points 1 month ago

Good on them! I was intrigued by the Playdate ever since it came out, but always found it too expensive. Maybe I'll get one after all.

But yeah, no surprises about Nintendo here...

[-] TeaWithDani@lemmy.world 16 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Cool nice shit costs money sometimes. You can't really consider this device from a regular value standpoint. Its unique.

They also give you 24 games within the price of the device. At say $5-$10 a pop, its decent value for the games alone.

[-] FireWire400@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago

Its unique

It definitely is, but that doesn't justify the price in my mind

[-] tidderuuf@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago

I was considering one butt fuck me that price is insane for what you get.

[-] SailorFuzz@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago

butt fuck me

yhelothar

[-] PattyMcB@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

"No, Jerry. But, fuck me..." (iykyk)

[-] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

I feel the same way about it. Pretty much the same reason I don’t own an Analogue Pocket

[-] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 month ago

The R36s is pretty affordable if I remember correctly

Or, if you have a soldering iron and are into DIY, you can make a retro handheld console with an Arduino or a Raspberry Pi.

You can also 3D print the case and buttons (if you don't have a printer, check if your local library does).

[-] FireWire400@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I have an Analogue Pocket and I'd say it's better value for not that much more money; I can play all my existing GB games and more through adaptors and emulation, and that screen is amazing. Not saying it's cheap and I despise their artificial scarcity bullshit, but I don't regret buying one.

[-] 4am@lemmy.zip 18 points 1 month ago

Panic has been awesome for like 25 years. Fuck yeah.

[-] ggtdbz@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 month ago

What were they making before this thing?

[-] phlaym@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 1 month ago

Mostly macOS software. Pretty good apps too!

[-] mbp@slrpnk.net 8 points 1 month ago

Portland based company, hell yeah!

[+] Grimy@lemmy.world -33 points 1 month ago

All little mini game boys are a serious rip off. It's just an stm32, an esp32 and a screen. We're talking maybe 35$ to build one without bulk pricing. The crank is just decoration, it doesn't even do anything.

[-] BigPotato@lemmy.world 19 points 1 month ago

So close, yet so far

[+] Grimy@lemmy.world -17 points 1 month ago

I guess it's nice to pretend and not even make a point. You have said nothing.

[-] 4am@lemmy.zip 23 points 1 month ago

He said “you don’t know what you’re talking about because the Playdate isn’t any of those things you said and it’s sure as shit not an emulator” but you might be too dense for that because meaning seems to have bounced right off. Don’t worry, the rest of us understood just fine.

[+] Grimy@lemmy.world -9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

No.

He said "so close, yet so far" which is saying nothing.

Whatever it plays, it's still just an stm32, an esp and a screen. It's still just 35$ in parts being sold for more than double the price a phone that can play Wii games would cost. It's a gimmick. You are falling for a gimmick.

[-] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 7 points 1 month ago

I guess if it's assembled with slave labor then they could probably sell it for the cost of parts. I'm not saying it isn't overpriced, but suggesting it should only cost as much as the parts is kinda ignorant.

[-] Grimy@lemmy.world -4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I highly doubt anything other than final assembly with the case is being done. PCB aren't hand soldered anymore, a machine does all the work. If it was built in the US, it wouldn't be dealing with tarrifs in any case so clearly, there's as much slave labor involved as every other product.

Before it becomes an issue, yes I think tariffs are dumb. Its just silly to assume these guys are the only ones doing ethical gameboy gimmick toys and that's why it's overpriced.

A quick google actually tells me it's manufactured in Malaysia so they don't even do final assembly. PCB is most likely China.

[-] nekusoul@lemmy.nekusoul.de 7 points 1 month ago

Great. Now add internal shipping, warehouse costs, R&D, including the ongoing development of a custom firmware, game engine including a editor, server maintenane and more for a device that, after all, is still selling in quite small numbers.

If that still isn't enough, consider that each device comes with custom-made 24 games from various game devs.

[-] architect@thelemmy.club 1 points 1 month ago

The crank is a part of the game controller. Teenage engineering helped with this so of course it’s expensive. You’re acting like labor is worthless. Go make one for $35 then. Prove your case.

this post was submitted on 27 Aug 2026

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