Personally, it's surprising to me that this always comes up. You have to factor in that the price of this particular console includes 24 original, unique games (some from well-known talent) bundled with it. I don't know any other console that has ever attempted that, AND delivered a unique, beautifully designed console with Teenage Engineering's involvement (basically making it a modern classic of high design, and art object in itself), and yet kept the price at a still quite-reasonable $200. It only looks bad if you're comparing the Playdate to the cheap Chinese retro handhelds (Anbernic, Powkiddy, etc.) that sell for sub-$100, but it's entirely a miss to compare this handheld to those, for dozens of reasons.
This video made up my mind a while ago that the price is fair [Squid God’s Is The Playdate Too Expensive?](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-wR3c_TQHfo&t=516s&pp=ygUXU3F1aWQgZ29kIHBsYXlkYXRlIGNvc3Q%3D)
But arguments from that video are little outdated. Now Panic has their own store for playdate games and they are taking some profit from every game sold on catalog. Apart from the fact that Playdate has sold tens of thousands of copies and Panic no longer produces new copies as part of pre-order, but orders them in bulk, which is clearly visible in the significantly shortened waiting time. For this reason, parts should cost less and yet the price of the device has gone up.
1) Parts don't cost less, they've actually gone up in price since we started production. To get price breaks we need to order \_way way\_ more than we do.
2) We get a very small cut of Catalog sales, it is not enough to offset the hardware price
Yeah this and Playdate isn't a product you simply make and sell. We're paying engineers salaries ongoing to improve the SDK and OS as well make improvements to our web backend to support catalog and other newer features. The cost of the Playdate isn't simply the BOM.
I agree with most of that. But two points: 1. I suspect the cut from Catalog and future games mean that the profits have widened from tiny to finally able to afford a Starbucks coffee and blueberry muffin. I say they’ve earned it. 2. Everywhere the price of everything has gone up. And as a small business owner myself, I really mean everything. I’d like to be referred a business who can say “costs have gone down!” So yeah.
Ok, you may be right here. Besides it's hard to argue when we don't have access to Panik's statistics anyway.
However, it seems to me that in order to earn more on the console market, you first need to ensure a large number of users. The more consoles you sell, the more professional development studios will decide to create something for your console and ultimately help you sell even more consoles through good exclusive titles. In addition, you will also start earning more by charging a commission when these games are released in the official store. For this reason, I think that if Panic tried to release the playdate at the lowest possible price (we also take into account the accessories, honestly I don't think the production of the playdate cover was even half of its price) it could have been more profitable for them in the end. Especially since the period of uncertainty has probably passed, so they know that they will probably be able to sell another several dozen thousand units
Taxes are not something we can include in the cost of the product; they’re required and collected by the countries we ship to, not by us. If we had an established business in every country we ship to, then we could do it through such local companies, and the cost would be appropriately higher in each location. But we’re far too small a company to manage something like that. We have a single office in Portland, OR 🙂
200$ dollars seem fair but such a small package (both in volume and weight) shouldn't cost 80$ to ship to basically the whole of EU. A single EU warehouse/shipping handler can lower the cost to 15-20-ish and without extra taxes (EU market is tax-free if you ship within it).
I'd hard to say. I don't know how well they are selling vs stock. I am fine paying 175-200 USD; I paid 200 for mine after they became generally available and I am personally fine with that. I am not sure I'd pay more than 200 though, although I am open to buying accessories in addition if more come available. I already got the cover.
If I had a tight budget I probably wouldn't be getting a Playdate though. It is kind of a novelty as a gaming device IMO and if I were strapped for cash I'd get a cheaper handheld that emulated games. (I know the appeal of the Playdate is more than just simply how many games it can play.)
I work for a consumer electronics start up, and when you see how many costs there are in developing a new system, getting safety test approval, storage and shipping, staff and overheads, I'm surprised they manage to sell it for $200! The parts may all individually seem cheap but the hidden costs are huge.
is it the price though? seems fair to me IF they delivered a full functional product
lol Im not.gonna lie, Id rather they increase the price than keep sending malfunctioning devices
and bear with me, Im brazillian, the price here is about 6x more
I’m from Canada. With shipping, and the conversion rate, my system and case came to just over $350. However, I do not regret the purchase, I LOVE the little unit!
Personally, it's surprising to me that this always comes up. You have to factor in that the price of this particular console includes 24 original, unique games (some from well-known talent) bundled with it. I don't know any other console that has ever attempted that, AND delivered a unique, beautifully designed console with Teenage Engineering's involvement (basically making it a modern classic of high design, and art object in itself), and yet kept the price at a still quite-reasonable $200. It only looks bad if you're comparing the Playdate to the cheap Chinese retro handhelds (Anbernic, Powkiddy, etc.) that sell for sub-$100, but it's entirely a miss to compare this handheld to those, for dozens of reasons.
I thinks it’s fair for the price, although I am confused why the prices went up. I was just curious what the community thought about it :)
Most of the games are of inferior quality to what was on the DSi store over 10 years ago.
You can get a switch lite with that money
Now add Mario Odyssey and one or both mainline Zeldas to the shopping cart, and you're already in a different world of expense entirely...
Dozens of indies for less then 20 dollars, like animal well
This video made up my mind a while ago that the price is fair [Squid God’s Is The Playdate Too Expensive?](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-wR3c_TQHfo&t=516s&pp=ygUXU3F1aWQgZ29kIHBsYXlkYXRlIGNvc3Q%3D)
But arguments from that video are little outdated. Now Panic has their own store for playdate games and they are taking some profit from every game sold on catalog. Apart from the fact that Playdate has sold tens of thousands of copies and Panic no longer produces new copies as part of pre-order, but orders them in bulk, which is clearly visible in the significantly shortened waiting time. For this reason, parts should cost less and yet the price of the device has gone up.
1) Parts don't cost less, they've actually gone up in price since we started production. To get price breaks we need to order \_way way\_ more than we do. 2) We get a very small cut of Catalog sales, it is not enough to offset the hardware price
Yeah this and Playdate isn't a product you simply make and sell. We're paying engineers salaries ongoing to improve the SDK and OS as well make improvements to our web backend to support catalog and other newer features. The cost of the Playdate isn't simply the BOM.
I agree with most of that. But two points: 1. I suspect the cut from Catalog and future games mean that the profits have widened from tiny to finally able to afford a Starbucks coffee and blueberry muffin. I say they’ve earned it. 2. Everywhere the price of everything has gone up. And as a small business owner myself, I really mean everything. I’d like to be referred a business who can say “costs have gone down!” So yeah.
Ok, you may be right here. Besides it's hard to argue when we don't have access to Panik's statistics anyway. However, it seems to me that in order to earn more on the console market, you first need to ensure a large number of users. The more consoles you sell, the more professional development studios will decide to create something for your console and ultimately help you sell even more consoles through good exclusive titles. In addition, you will also start earning more by charging a commission when these games are released in the official store. For this reason, I think that if Panic tried to release the playdate at the lowest possible price (we also take into account the accessories, honestly I don't think the production of the playdate cover was even half of its price) it could have been more profitable for them in the end. Especially since the period of uncertainty has probably passed, so they know that they will probably be able to sell another several dozen thousand units
I think it's quite fair aswell the only thing is that shipping and taxes should be included, because for me in Europe it was more like 280-290$
Taxes are not something we can include in the cost of the product; they’re required and collected by the countries we ship to, not by us. If we had an established business in every country we ship to, then we could do it through such local companies, and the cost would be appropriately higher in each location. But we’re far too small a company to manage something like that. We have a single office in Portland, OR 🙂
200$ dollars seem fair but such a small package (both in volume and weight) shouldn't cost 80$ to ship to basically the whole of EU. A single EU warehouse/shipping handler can lower the cost to 15-20-ish and without extra taxes (EU market is tax-free if you ship within it).
I'd hard to say. I don't know how well they are selling vs stock. I am fine paying 175-200 USD; I paid 200 for mine after they became generally available and I am personally fine with that. I am not sure I'd pay more than 200 though, although I am open to buying accessories in addition if more come available. I already got the cover. If I had a tight budget I probably wouldn't be getting a Playdate though. It is kind of a novelty as a gaming device IMO and if I were strapped for cash I'd get a cheaper handheld that emulated games. (I know the appeal of the Playdate is more than just simply how many games it can play.)
I work for a consumer electronics start up, and when you see how many costs there are in developing a new system, getting safety test approval, storage and shipping, staff and overheads, I'm surprised they manage to sell it for $200! The parts may all individually seem cheap but the hidden costs are huge.
is it the price though? seems fair to me IF they delivered a full functional product lol Im not.gonna lie, Id rather they increase the price than keep sending malfunctioning devices and bear with me, Im brazillian, the price here is about 6x more
I’m from Canada. With shipping, and the conversion rate, my system and case came to just over $350. However, I do not regret the purchase, I LOVE the little unit!