The Great Playdate Heist: A Tale of Thieves and Handheld Consoles

In a bizarre incident, over $400,000 worth of Playdate handheld gaming systems were stolen and then mysteriously dumped in front of a random restaurant. The story, which sounds like the plot of a heist movie, has left many in the gaming community stunned.

A photo of the recovered Playdate handhelds

According to Panic, the company behind the Playdate, the shipment was delivered to the wrong address by FedEx before thieves swooped in and made off with the valuable cargo. In a series of tweets, Panic revealed that the stolen consoles were later abandoned at a restaurant, with some boxes opened and systems missing or sold.

“Did you hear the story about how $400k worth of Playdates were misdelivered by FedEx to a construction site near our warehouse? And then someone just… stole them? Seriously.”

A photo of the dumped Playdate consoles

Panic jokingly asked if they could sell the recovered consoles as a limited edition, dubbing them the “Playdate Hot.” While the incident was no doubt frustrating for the company, they seemed to take it in stride, even expressing gratitude for the unexpected turn of events.

“This was our best possible outcome, the result of lots of time and detective work,” Panic tweeted. “Ok fine, we enjoyed it.”

The incident has left many wondering how such a large shipment of valuable goods could be so carelessly lost and then stolen. It’s a reminder that even in the world of gaming, crime can strike at any moment.

A photo of a person holding a Playdate handheld console

The Playdate, which was released in 2020, has gained a loyal following among gamers who appreciate its retro aesthetic and portability. The incident has only added to the console’s mystique, with some fans even joking about the “limited edition” stolen consoles.

As the gaming community continues to buzz about the Great Playdate Heist, one thing is clear: even in the world of handheld gaming, crime can be a real wild card.