Independent product

PlayCase

A gaming case that brings physical controls to the iPhone.

Project: PlayCase
My role: Product design through production
Format: Physical product & brand

PlayCase with its blue handheld faceplate attached to an iPhone — PlayCase in use and with the faceplate stowed on the backView image

Red PlayCase showing its rear triggers and faceplate storage — PlayCase in use and with the faceplate stowed on the backView image

THE PROJECT

A familiar phone, with a different way to play.

I designed and built PlayCase from concept to production. The product brings physical controls to classic games on the iPhone, with swappable faceplates that accommodate different button layouts. My work covers the object itself and the identity, communication, and community around it.

My contribution

SCOPE OF WORK

Industrial design
The case, swappable faceplates, and physical controls form a product designed around the iPhone.
Prototyping and production
3D printing supports developing the parts and taking the product from concept into production.
Brand and launch materials
Product presentation, marketing, and community engagement connect the physical design to the people using it.

DESIGN & INTENT

Different games call for different controls

The faceplates provide button layouts tailored to popular emulators such as Delta and RetroArch. That makes the control arrangement part of the product’s flexibility. The gallery shows the handheld, dual-screen, and classic layouts, along with the way the faceplate stores on the case.

BUILD & CONTEXT

Working across the whole product

The design work extends from the shape and assembly of the printed components to explaining how the product works. Product renders show the relationship between the case, faceplate, buttons, and rear controls. That continuity between making and communicating is a central part of my role.