Handheld gaming manufacturer Ayaneo is getting into Android phones with a new handset that reminds us very much of a gaming phone that arrived a little before its time.
The Ayaneo Pocket Play is a dead ringer for the Sony Xperia Play phone from 2011 that combined a elements of a touchscreen smartphone with a PlayStation Portable. The idea seemed like a cracking one. Touchscreens weren’t yet that precise and gaming on them didn’t offer a great experience. The addition of a slide-up display to reveal a control pad seemed like an awesome solution.
After all, the Nintendo DS with its folding design was a red hot seller at the time. Unfortunately, the mobile gaming industry wasn’t quite advanced enough to justify buying a smartphone on the grounds of being able to play games on it. Now we’re living in a different world, where mobile processors are powerful enough to run AAA games at high frame rates without decimating the battery.
So, what’s old is new again. The Ayaneo Pocket Play teaser page is now live on Kickstarter with a promise to launch soon. The device is equipped with a full set of controls with a D-Pad and ABXY buttons as well as dual-mode smart touchpads offering virtual joystick mode and trackpad functionality. The company promises responsive feedback and a comfortable grip although, ergonomically, smartphones aren’t as nice to hold as dedicated handhelds.
A lot of the details are still under wraps. In fact what I’ve told you is pretty much all there is to know right now. There’s nothing on price, specs or potential release dates. There may be more when the Kickstarter funding page goes live.
