The upcoming Playdate handheld gaming console is being made in Malaysia

Playdate, a retro-styled handheld gaming device with a rotating crank which will be released in 2020, is being manufactured in Malaysia. 

Musician Az Samad was the first to tweet to the company after discovering a "Made in Malaysia" label on the back of the device. Dave Hayden, an engineer at the company confirmed that Playdate is indeed being made in a factory in Sungai Petani, Kedah.

Yes, in Sungai Petani! Our production consultant recommended a factory he works with there, and they're a great fit for this project. We've visited a number of times over the last year and have totally fallen in love with Malaysia. Wonderful people! Incredible food! — Dave Hayden (@davehayden) May 25, 2019

Hayden even shared about his enthusiasm for local food and it seemed he may have attempted to make nasi lemak for his colleagues at the company in the United States.

???? Today Neven and Dave cooked up some Nasi Lemak for the office — the national dish of Malaysia! (Sambal, rice, cucumber, fried egg, anchovies, chicken curry, peanuts...) It was, to be sure, delicious. Thank you for reading our twitter pic.twitter.com/VlqnLadKnv — Panic (@panic) April 8, 2019

Here's a clearer look at the "Made in Malaysia" label on the back of the Playdate device.

(PS: there are even more surprises to reveal when Playdate goes up for sale later this year…) pic.twitter.com/G1kObGB24a — Playdate (@playdate) May 22, 2019

According to a Tweet on the Playdate Twitter account, over 70,000 people have expressed interest to be in the waiting list for the device.

Developer Panic said 12 original games will be made for the console, including Crankin's Time Travel Adventure by Keita Takahashi. Players have to use the crank to control the character's movement in the game. 

The device has a 2.7in black-and-white low-power screen. In the FAQ section, the company claims that the display will be "sharp and clear", even describing it as a "premium black and white screen". The handheld console comes with WiFi, Bluetooth and USB-C connection, and runs on a custom operating system designed by the company. 

The console is priced at US$149 (RM620).