AYANEO Pocket PLAY Brings Back the Slider Phone, Now With D-Pad - Yanko Design

"AYANEO is known for gaming handheld devices that run Windows and, sometimes, Android, but not phones. Most gaming phones still feel like regular slabs with RGB lights and higher refresh rates, treating games as an app category instead of the reason the device exists. Pocket PLAY is AYANEO's first smartphone, and they are not shy about calling it "more than a phone," framing it as a handheld console that happens to live on a SIM card instead of a desktop operating system."

"AYANEO calls it "the ultimate fusion of mobile phone and gaming handheld," built "in the name of games, made for the dreams of gamers." The minimalist front follows golden-ratio proportions and AYANEO's "handheld artistry" philosophy, looking like a clean black slab until you slide it open and the real personality appears. The idea is that it should not shout gamer aesthetic when you are checking email, only when you want to play."

"The classic side-slide mechanism is a light push that reveals a full controller under the screen. Anyone who remembers Sony's Xperia Play will feel a flicker of déjà vu, another Android phone that hid a gamepad under a slider. The difference is that Pocket PLAY arrives in a world where handheld gaming and emulation are mainstream, and AYANEO has spent years building hardware for that exact crowd, not for casual mobile gamers who might try it once."

Pocket PLAY is AYANEO's first smartphone positioned as a handheld console that uses a SIM card rather than a desktop OS. The device pairs a minimalist, golden-ratio front with a classic side-slide mechanism that reveals a full controller beneath the screen. The compact controller includes a D-pad, ABXY buttons, shoulder controls, and dual intelligent touchpads that can map to analog inputs. AYANEO emphasizes crisp, light button presses, fast response, and an ergonomic grip for immediate handheld use without accessories. The design keeps a subdued phone appearance for everyday tasks and foregrounds gaming only when opened.

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