The reactivation of Xperia Play is getting closer. Ayaneo Pocket PLAY no longer has any secrets

Ayaneo Pocket PLAY is a very interesting smartphone from a manufacturer previously associated mainly with pocket consoles and retro handhelds. According to the brand’s philosophy, Pocket PLAY is also supposed to be a console, and some fans of the brand call the device “XPERIA Play 2.0”.

The manufacturer has already lifted the veil of secrecy, revealing that the heart of Pocket PLAY is the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 system. This is a 2023 unit, which in theory can run most new mobile games, but comments from the brand’s fans on the X platform and Reddit are not favorable – a newer system should be expected in the model that debuts in 2026. The choice of MediaTek’s SoC instead of Qualcomm is also criticized.

Ayaneo Pocket PLAY already has its full product page, where the complete specification of the device has been published. It is known that the console phone is equipped with fast, although not the fastest, LPDDR5 RAM and internal UFS 4.0 standard memory. The air cooling system is responsible for heat dissipation.

The device is equipped with a fingerprint reader integrated with the power button, a USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C port supporting transfer up to 10 Gbps and DisplayPort 1.4, as well as a hybrid SIM and microSD card slot. Connectivity is provided by Wi-Fi modules (probably version 7) and Bluetooth 5. There are also stereo speakers on the housing.

The manufacturer installed a 6.8-inch (20:9) OLED display in Pocket PLAY, offering a resolution of 2400 by 1080 pixels with a rather modest maximum brightness of 430 nits. You will forget about playing on open terrain on a bright day. The screen supports variable refresh rates – the user can choose between 120 Hz, 144 Hz and 165 Hz.

The most important feature of the device is the side panel, which when slid out reveals a full-size game controller. There are ABXY buttons, a D-pad, a virtual joystick and a touchpad with a haptic effect. In addition, players also receive buttons on the side of the housing – L1, L2, R1 and R2 – using micro switches. The device also has several additional function buttons, some of them can be configured. The vibrations are handled by a linear X-axis motor type 0815, which supports, among other things, audio vibrations.

In the photography section, you will find a main rear camera with a resolution of 50 Mpix with autofocus, an additional ultra-wide-angle camera with a 16 Mpix matrix and a front camera of 5 Mpix.

Energy is supplied by a 5000 mAh battery with support for PD fast charging. The whole thing works under the control of Android 15. The manufacturer has also prepared additional applications for managing the device – its own AYAHome launcher, AYASpace retro games space and the AYAsettings options management panel.

Four color versions will be available: Void Black, Silver White, Origin Gray and Deep Crimson red.

The price of the device has not been revealed yet. However, it is known that Ayaneo Pocket PLAY will be available for order via the Kickstarter platform, in line with the manufacturer’s current practice. The crowdfunding campaign is to start soon, and the devices themselves will be delivered to users in 2026.

The video below shows how Ayaneo Pocket PLAY works.