Handheld Playdate Devices Worth $400,000 Recovered Near Unrelated Restaurant

Panic, the creators of the retro handheld gaming system, Playdate, have recovered $400,000 worth of their product that had been stolen due to a FedEx misdelivery. The misplaced shipment, initially delivered to a wrong address, was is said to be taken by thieves who then later dumped the Playdate handhelds at a random restaurant. Photos of the recovered systems were shared on Panic’s official social media platform.

The company disclosed the incident and revealed that more details were expected to be shared in an upcoming Playdate Podcast episode. In lighthearted jest, Panic proposed marketing the stolen handhelds as a limited edition appropriately named “Playdate Hot.” Despite some units still being missing or sold, the company acknowledged that this situation played a substantial role in reclaiming the robbed products.

In its wrap-up, Panic described the recovery as the “best possible outcome,” attributing it to intense time investment and detective work. They expressed enjoyment over the situation, implying a silver lining was found through the unusual and unexpected experience.