Panic launches Catalog, a curated digital storefront for Playdate

Panic has launched a curated digital storefront for Playdate called Catalog, giving owners another way to download apps and games outside of the console's seasonal releases.

Although Playdate owners have always had the option to nab software for the crank-toting handheld via the power of sideloading, Panic explains that apps purchased through Catlog–whether on-device or through the web store–will be eligible to receive automatic updates (unlike sideloaded apps) and will be tied to a user's Playdate account, meaning they can always be re-downloaded.

As for how developers can get their projects on Catalog, Panic says it will be hand-selecting titles to ensure they are well-supported in the long-term.

"Developers will be able to submit their titles for Catalog consideration through a developer form," said the company in a press release. "Of course, Catalog will not be the only way to distribute and acquire new Playdate software, as Playdate apps can still be sideloaded and purchased from various storefronts such as Itch.Io, Gumroad, and more."

Catalog will arrive with a mix of 16 Playdate games and apps, including 11 brand new releases. It will also include two free titles, Recommendation Dog!!! and Reel Steel, that will be added to Playdate's Season One roster as a bonus. Notably, both of those projects were made by teams of up-and-coming developers from marginalized communities with guidance from narrative development company Sweet Baby, which previously worked on Playdate title Lost Your Marbles.

Reel Steal is billed as a heist game where a mysterious figure hires thieves to reclaim loot and justice, while Recommendation Dog!! Is pitched an "adorable action-puzzle game" about a tiny dog tasked with helping the clients of a temp agency. 

Other titles on Catalog include silent-movie-musical game, Direct Drive, crank operated arcade racing title, Grand Tour Legends, sci-fi adventure comic, The Botanist, and light-action word-building game, Word Trip.

For more on Playdate, including deep dives, postmortems, and our review of the handheld, click here to explore our wide-ranging launch coverage.