Playtron Secures $10 Million in Funding, Announces PlaytronOS & Handheld Gaming Device

[T0@st]

Playtron is new a startup company put together by Kirt McMaster—former CEO plus co-founder of CyanogenMod—and a couple of industry veterans. Sean Hollister, senior editor and founding member of The Verge, has gained exclusive access to early Playtron material. The firm's logically named PlaytronOS is a Linux-based platform, compatible with ARM and x86 architectures—according to official hype material it is a "light weight gaming OS optimized for a new generation of powerful handheld gaming PCs… and beyond. Play all your games from every store… Steam… Epic and more." Hollister indicated that he was "cautiously optimistic" about Playtron's future prospects, following discussions conducted with development partners, and rifling through internal project documentation.

The Verge report stated that: "Playtron is coming out of stealth with $10 million in funding, roughly 18 employees, and a plan to challenge Microsoft, Valve, and Apple for the next hundred million gamers." The startup has presented lofty ambitions—their operating system (currently in Alpha) is said to run on all of the available mainstream portable gaming platforms. By the end of 2024: "you will...be able to install Playtron on your favorite handheld PC for the best gaming experience ever." McMaster and his colleagues are preparing "native devices" for an estimated launch in 2025—The Verge's exclusive coverage features an official mock-up of a 5G-enabled alternative to Valve's popular Steam Deck family.




Kirt McMaster: "Playtron OS on Lenovo Legion Go."

1 Billion "Core Casual" Gamers Over Next Decade
Only 10% of total gamers globally represent the core gamer base. Roughly 400 million people are PC and Console gamers. For the 1st time this segment goes mobile. Playtron enables billions in new revenue for creators over the coming years.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[Ferrum Master]

I expect a flop just judging from this PR bullshit. Especially reading locked Valveverse.

These Muppets will be profiting from all code and efforts Valve has done to make Linux gaming possible. Instead of contribute, they will fork and make more clutter... (That's where the cyanogen nonsense comes in).

 

[JasBC]

I expect a flop just judging from this PR bullshit. Especially reading locked Valveverse.

These Muppets will be profiting from all code and efforts Valve has done to make Linux gaming possible. Instead of contribute, they will fork and make more clutter... (That's where the cyanogen nonsense comes in).

"They will fork and make more clutter"

Pffh

 

[Ferrum Master]

"They will fork and make more clutter"

Pffh

Oh, another one thinking the world needs yet another Linux Distro?

 

[Space Lynx]

I expect a flop just judging from this PR bullshit. Especially reading locked Valveverse.

These Muppets will be profiting from all code and efforts Valve has done to make Linux gaming possible. Instead of contribute, they will fork and make more clutter... (That's where the cyanogen nonsense comes in).

its dead on arrival in my eyes and probably in the masses eyes too, so I'm not worried. fuck'em.

 

[Nostras]

Lots of negativity. I'll await the day it comes out and check the reviews to see if they move the bar or not.
But admittedly this is a bit of a nothingburger as it is...

 

[Canned Noodles]

The grips look very uncomfortable and the D-pads atrocious

 

[WatchThe80s]

The PlaytronOS is coming before the console so i'm guessing they want the regular gamers to install this to their consoles? Unless this OS can deliver more performance/ or is more stable at the same wattage, i don't think there will be a lot of 'regular gamers' that will install this on other handhelds.