Abruptly, crypto gaming handhelds are a factor.
Final week, the Bitcoin-centric BitBoy One gaming handheld and {hardware} pockets was revealed—and that was adopted on Wednesday by the announcement of the SuiPlay0x1, a Steam Deck-like transportable PC gaming machine constructed for crypto video games on Sui and past.
Add final 12 months’s Solana Saga smartphone to the listing—and subsequent 12 months’s “Chapter 2” successor—and also you’ve acquired choices if you’d like a transportable machine that performs video games whereas additionally enjoying good with crypto.
However which is the one for you? A few of these units aren’t out but, so we definitely can’t provide you with a agency verdict at the moment. However right here’s our early take a look at how these units evaluate primarily based on out there particulars and the way they’ve been positioned. And you may wager that Decrypt’s GG will likely be maintaining tabs on the upcoming launches, so keep tuned as we’ll replace this roundup over time.
BitBoy One
Whereas not an “formally branded” machine just like the others on this listing, the BitBoy One is clearly constructed round Bitcoin. Borrowing the core design from Nintendo’s traditional Sport Boy however with a daring, translucent orange shell, the BitBoy One is a component gaming handheld, half Bitcoin pockets, and half miner for decentralized bodily infrastructure networks (DePINs).
Developed by Ordz Video games, a Bitcoin-centric gaming venture, the BitBoy One guarantees to help varied play-to-earn video games, plus it’ll run emulated retro video games from the unique PlayStation period and earlier. It’ll be a Bitcoin {hardware} pockets too, letting you handle property on the chain, plus Ordz says you’ll have the ability to faucet into DePIN mining and doubtlessly earn crypto only for leaving the machine operating.
This seems to be to be a comparatively low-powered machine. It makes use of a processor seen in some third-party emulation handhelds, and the PlayStation-era goal ought to give a way of what it’d have the ability to deal with—fundamental 3D graphics, however nothing tremendous fashionable or lavish. An Ordz rep stated to anticipate a worth level round $500 and a rollout by 12 months’s finish.
SuiPlay0x1
Sui community creator Mysten Labs is teaming up with handheld gaming OS startup Playtron to launch the SuiPlay0x1, a Steam Deck-like transportable gaming PC that’s particularly primed to deal with crypto video games.
Due out in 2025, the SuiPlay0x1 seems to be to be a fairly lavish machine, although we don’t have a specs sheet simply but. Throughout an interview with Decrypt’s GG, Playtron co-founder and CEO Kirt McMaster talked about how the corporate is working with “desktop-grade silicon,” together with AMD and Qualcomm Snapdragon processors—and the goal is to play fashionable PC video games, very similar to Valve’s Steam Deck does with strong success.
And the crypto angle is that the SuiPlay0x1 could have native Sui community integration, pairing property to a person’s machine account and letting them bridge property over from different chains too. It’ll additionally play PC video games from Steam, Epic Video games Retailer, and past, together with crypto video games that aren’t on Sui.
No phrase but on worth, however Mysten Labs informed Decrypt that they plan on providing incentives to make the hand held appear to be an interesting worth. Whether or not these will take the type of tokens or different advantages has but to be finalized. McMaster stated to anticipate an “extremely good worth.”
Solana Saga + Chapter 2
Now right here’s a tool we’ve really put by its paces. Whereas the Solana Saga isn’t devoted to gaming, this Android-powered smartphone has Google’s Play Retailer, and thus entry to only about each main cell sport available on the market at the moment.
However the true profit, in fact, is the deep Solana integration, which helps it play good with crypto video games. The draw back at this level, nonetheless, is that builders haven’t introduced a variety of native Solana video games to the Saga dapp retailer but, so the idea nonetheless feels a bit theoretical even after a 12 months available on the market.
The Saga is strongly succesful, nonetheless, with flagship {hardware}—granted, the chips are from two years in the past when the cellphone was first launched—and a big, crisp show. The unique $999 worth level didn’t persuade too many patrons, however by the point it dropped to $599, patrons purchased up the remainder of the inventory to declare a meme coin airdrop that was value greater than the asking worth.
We’ll see how the ecosystem develops as Solana Labs returns with subsequent 12 months’s “Chapter 2” mannequin, which will likely be cheaper (pre-orders began at $450) than the unique launch and aimed toward a wider market. If the Solana telephones can discover a sizable market, then we must see an increasing number of video games constructed to run natively on them.
Head-to-head
It’s extra than simply community selection that units these gaming units aside. They’re very completely different by way of processing punch, kind issue, and have set.
The Sui machine seems poised to be essentially the most highly effective and certain versatile gaming handheld of the bunch, however we’ll need to see how the value level works out—and whether or not the promised incentives assist increase the worth. Additionally, it’s not but clear how effectively video games from different chains will work on this Sui-centric machine.
The BitBoy One comes throughout as a jack-of-all-trades Bitcoin machine. It’ll run easier video games and retro titles, maintain Bitcoin property, and apparently mine airdrops from DePIN networks. However will that each one add as much as a tool that’s compelling at $500? Emulation units with this type of energy often promote for beneath $100, however possibly play-to-earn rewards and airdrop farming will add up.
And the Solana Saga? It’s a succesful cellphone that may play a great deal of cell video games very effectively, however hasn’t actually executed an entire lot on the crypto gaming entrance simply but. However with a less expensive second mannequin due out subsequent 12 months, the Solana Cellular ecosystem may develop into much more compelling in time.
Keep tuned to Decrypt’s GG, as a result of a variety of that is nonetheless creating.
Edited by Ryan Ozawa.
