3 ms·

I think it's cool. I'm not that old, but games these days mostly seem to be about squeezing every last dollar out of the consumer through shady means. I think t

by msvan 7y ago

I think it's cool. I'm not that old, but games these days mostly seem to be about squeezing every last dollar out of the consumer through shady means. I think this is part of why I don't play video games anymore. It's nice to see something different.

jarfil 7y ago
$150 for what looks like 12 simple games isn't that much different.
- msvan 7y ago
  1) I don't mind paying for games. I just don't want the game mechanics to be designed to divert me towards spending more money on the game. 2) It's 12 games to start with. I'm sure there could be more later on.
  - wccrawford 7y ago
    They say that the production run will be very limited. Which means there isn't much incentive for gamedevs to make more games later, as the audience can never expand beyond the initial sales.
    - jamesgeck0 7y ago
      They've clarified that the _first_ production run is very limited. There will be more production runs after that.
- thedufer 7y ago
  They claim to have an SDK. Assuming that goes public (why wouldn't it?) it's 12 games + anything else they release + anything the community comes up with.
- mortenjorck 7y ago
  Point taken, but this is the difference between $12 for a Bud Light at a huge sports venue versus $12 for an interesting and memorable cocktail at an out-of-the-way bar. Both are expensive, but the latter is something you can't get anywhere else and might barely even turn a profit when everything else is factored in.
- quickthrower2 7y ago
  And a free console
CptFribble 7y ago
That's an interesting interpretation of "Season One is included free of charge."
- bduerst 7y ago
  I think they're more referring to evolution of skinner-box and lootbox type of games, but yeah, this device was probably funded with a subscription model in mind.
winibe4r 7y ago
So you think a device trying to make money off nostalgia is different? Nobody would buy this to actually have fun.
Veedrac 7y ago
Then buy different games? There are so many games out there, you don't have to buy from the sleaziest, profit-whoring of them. N++, Papers Please, Geometry Dash, Return of the Obra Dinn, Ori and the Blind Forest, 1001 Spikes, Hollow Knight, the list goes on. Then you have things like The Talos Principle, which does have DLC, but it's many hours long, or Humble and their bundles and monthlies, or that Lichess and Pokemon Showdown are legitimately completely free. The Playdate looks like a fun toy, but it's vastly more of a cash grab than the games I play regularly.

by msvan 7y ago

jarfil 7y ago

$150 for what looks like 12 simple games isn't that much different.

msvan 7y ago
1) I don't mind paying for games. I just don't want the game mechanics to be designed to divert me towards spending more money on the game. 2) It's 12 games to start with. I'm sure there could be more later on.
- wccrawford 7y ago
  They say that the production run will be very limited. Which means there isn't much incentive for gamedevs to make more games later, as the audience can never expand beyond the initial sales.
  - jamesgeck0 7y ago
    They've clarified that the _first_ production run is very limited. There will be more production runs after that.
thedufer 7y ago
They claim to have an SDK. Assuming that goes public (why wouldn't it?) it's 12 games + anything else they release + anything the community comes up with.
mortenjorck 7y ago
Point taken, but this is the difference between $12 for a Bud Light at a huge sports venue versus $12 for an interesting and memorable cocktail at an out-of-the-way bar. Both are expensive, but the latter is something you can't get anywhere else and might barely even turn a profit when everything else is factored in.
quickthrower2 7y ago
And a free console

CptFribble 7y ago

That's an interesting interpretation of "Season One is included free of charge."

bduerst 7y ago
I think they're more referring to evolution of skinner-box and lootbox type of games, but yeah, this device was probably funded with a subscription model in mind.

winibe4r 7y ago

So you think a device trying to make money off nostalgia is different? Nobody would buy this to actually have fun.

Veedrac 7y ago

Then buy different games? There are so many games out there, you don't have to buy from the sleaziest, profit-whoring of them. N++, Papers Please, Geometry Dash, Return of the Obra Dinn, Ori and the Blind Forest, 1001 Spikes, Hollow Knight, the list goes on. Then you have things like The Talos Principle, which does have DLC, but it's many hours long, or Humble and their bundles and monthlies, or that Lichess and Pokemon Showdown are legitimately completely free. The Playdate looks like a fun toy, but it's vastly more of a cash grab than the games I play regularly.