AYANEO Pocket PLAY: sliding gaming phone with 165 Hz OLED and active cooling

AYANEO has officially unveiled Pocket PLAY, a smartphone inspired by the legendary Xperia Play yet built to today’s standards. The device pairs a sliding game controller with an emphasis on comfort, signaling a clear focus on mobile gaming from the outset.

The phone features a 6.8-inch OLED display with a 2400×1080 resolution and a 165 Hz refresh rate. This screen markedly surpasses the original Xperia Play and is tuned for smooth, stutter-free play. Beneath the slider sit physical buttons, a directional pad, and touch-sensitive panels. The front camera is tucked into the bezel so the action stays unobstructed, while the back carries a dual camera—though the priority here is performance rather than photography.

Pocket PLAY will use active cooling—an important choice for maintaining stability with top-tier chips in the Snapdragon 8 Elite class. Taken together, the hardware direction positions the handset as a fully fledged portable gaming platform. Full specifications and pricing are still under wraps, with a launch expected in early 2026. Even now, it’s being billed as the closest spiritual successor to Xperia Play in the past 15 years, a description that fits its format and priorities.