Playdate builders have earned over $1 million by way of the hand held’s Catalog storefront because it launched in March 2023.
Panic shared the information in an e mail and defined exactly 289,305 titles have been bought through the curated digital market in that point. These gross sales have netted builders precisely $1,043,186 in payouts.
“Playdate is likely to be an indie platform, however seeing numbers like this makes us notice that even an indie platform may be significant within the gaming world. Catalog has been profitable past our expectations,” stated Panic.
“We’re so extraordinarily blissful and proud to be working with so many wonderful builders from throughout the globe and serving to them promote the wonderful issues they make! And thanks for purchasing them.”
Catalog has been bolstered with the addition of 262 hand-selected titles because it debuted, though that does not comprise your complete Playdate library given the ditty machine additionally helps third-party storefronts equivalent to itch.io through sideloading.
Panic continues championing Playdate builders by way of Catalog
Final 12 months, Panic instructed Sport Developer it wished Playdate builders to take centre stage after promoting over 70,000 consoles worldwide and addressing a string of producing and logistical challenges.
“It is past our wildest goals when it comes to what number of builders have embraced [the platform] and the standard of the titles that we’re seeing,” stated Panic’s head of particular initiatives, Greg Maletic. “We wish to be certain folks find out about that and might see what sort of market this has blossomed into.”
Extra lately, Panic introduced a $30 worth enhance for Playdate as a consequence of rising manufacturing prices—which seemingly caught the corporate unawares.
“Guess what: after getting up and operating at our new manufacturing unit, they quickly tell us that it might value fairly a bit extra to make a Playdate than it did at our earlier manufacturing unit,” it stated in an e mail to clients. “We weren’t very excited to listen to this! (What subsequent?!) However consequently, on March twenty fifth (2025), model new Playdate methods might be priced at $229.”
On the identical time, Panic confirmed it might offer consumers the possibility to buy a licensed refurbished Playdate for $179, however famous inventory could be “extraordinarily restricted.”
Panic will announce what’s subsequent for Playdate throughout an replace video containing extra particulars about its subsequent seasonal launch slate on April 17.
