The hardware is the whole point of the endeavour.

The playmate has a unique interface with its wind up arm thing. I would assume all the already made launch games will use it

Not all the games for the Playdate use the crank, but a lot do.

They could have sold the crank as an extension for iPhones or Android phones.

I agree. In a chip shortage, we should be reassessing exactly what devices need the chips, and priorities. I am very unexcited by this product, it seems practically useless. Tiger Electronics Handhelds indeed.

The steam deck (a real linux handheld computer) on the other hand, gimme gimme gimme

Okay, but people want different things. If you were to ask me, I would much rather ”reassess” the Steam Deck — a device in which I have no interest, made by a company with a poor hardware track record — than the Playdate — a unique device with interesting exclusives made by two companies I like a lot.