When Panic’s unique and charming handheld, the Playdate, was first released in April of 2022, one of its main selling points was the accompanying season of games packaged in with the device. This collection of twenty-four games, many created by notable indie developers such as Chuhai Labs (Cursed to Golf) and Bennett Foddy (Getting Over it with Bennett Foddy), released at a rate of two titles per week over a twelve-week period.

This gradual rollout of releases was pivotal in cultivating a dedicated community for the device as players openly discussed the games released each week and eagerly anticipated those to come. As this season came to a close, many expected a follow-up to be on the distant horizon in 2023; however, both 2023 and 2024 passed with only a few hints at the existence of a Season Two. This lull in news left many members of the community feeling disappointed, with some losing interest in the handheld entirely.

This, of course, isn’t to say that the Playdate wasn’t graced with some inventive and delightful games during this period, as a community of dedicated developers have continued to push the distinctive hardware to its limits. Despite this continued support, however, excitement from the community has never quite managed to reach the peak of what it had during the Playdate’s initial Season One rollout.

Fast forward to April 22nd of 2025, the Playdate’s long-awaited Season Two has finally been revealed and is scheduled to start dropping on May 29th. This time containing twelve games in total, players can expect to receive two titles weekly over a six-week period. With one of these releases confirmed to be coming out of Subset Games (FTL: Faster Than Light, Into the Breach) there is already a good deal of hype building for the season and the community has begun to once again stir in anticipation.

As a member of this excited group of players, I find myself simultaneously thrilled and nervous about this upcoming wave of releases. The prospect of digging into and discussing the new games brought by Season Two is certainly something to look forward to, but I can’t help but feel that the extended period of time since Season One may have caused the community to dwindle a bit too much in size, which could result in meaningful discussion about the new titles falling few and far between. In addition, I could see many being disappointed by the new season only containing twelve games, a significant decrease from the twenty-four included in the previous one. Furthermore, Season Two will be releasing with a fair but not negligible $39 price tag, which could ward off those who expected the new season to be included with the device similar to the first.

Having preordered Season Two as soon as it became available, I’m doing my best to remain optimistic for the future of this unique, lovable handheld. If this season manages to replicate the excitement and success of the former, I only hope we can expect future seasons to occur a bit more frequently in the future.

How do you feel about the Playdate? Are you excited for Season Two? Share your reactions in the comments below or join the conversation on Boss Rush Network’s Discord, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Featured Image: Playdate