PlayCase: Your iPhone as a Proper Game Console
Combines durable phone protection with precise game controls
Introduction to the PlayCase
The PlayCase isa 3D-printed case for your iPhone, designed to transform your device into a proper portable gaming console. Unlike previous products such as the GameBaby, with its sleek design but potentially limited control options, PlayCase focuses on providing high-quality physical buttons for better gameplay.
Key Features and Benefits of PlayCase
- Physical Controls: Offers a controller face plate that bolts onto the front of the case, ensuring you have precise button inputs without needing an external accessory. The inclusion of L and R triggers provides enhanced control for various gaming experiences.
- Customizability: Users can swap out the D-pad and buttons to suit their preferences, allowing for an optimized control scheme tailored to different games. Future face plate styles are planned for even more customization options.
- Compact Storage: The controller portion clips onto the case, with additional parts stored in a keychain holder for easy access and portability when gaming on-the-go.
- Concerns About Durability: While 3D-printed materials may raise concerns about durability given rough use, PlayCase offers protection for your iPhone while integrating seamlessly into gaming scenarios.
Purchasing and Availability
Interested gamers can place an order here.
Have you tried similar products? What was your experience?
They cannot just make a passive, universal device that presses places on the touchscreen, as Nintendo has filed a patent for a Game Boy case for phones, likely without actual interest in making this cheap hardware device themselves.
They managed to patent the concept of capacitive buttons in a plastic case, for fucks sake. The whole patent system is broken beyond repair…
No, they patented a plastic shell containing buttons which charge capacitive screens but do not rely on transference. In other words, they can be used with gloves or anything else that inhibits capacitive touch.
They cited about a zillion other patents for what you described: plastic cases with capacitive buttons (physical keyboard attachments, etc.).
This is a perfectly acceptable usage of the patent system.
Read it for yourself: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20180275769A1/en?oq=20180275769
Incidentally, this company tries to cite their own patent:
PlayCase – U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/668,169 (filed on July 6, 2024)
But a provisional patent is not a patent. Depending on its claims and citations, it’ll be interesting to see whether or not it’s granted by the USPTO, but my money is on no.
They also use unlicensed trademarked images on their webpage.
The only advantage I see over my current phone case controller is that it looks like it can fit in a pocket. Giving up screen space isnt ideal when you want to refer to a guide or look at some other part of your phone temporarily. And some games are widescreen only, which means this one’s a nonstarter for those.
Because Iphone is where the emulation is… $50 could get you an RG35XX or MYOO mini
I get what you’re saying, but I can play PSP or Nintendo DS games on my iPhone.
Cool idea, I wish this was available for my phone. But alas, this is what I get for having an experiemental phone.
