There is zero question that handheld technology has changed the face of tabletop gaming forever, and we’re not exactly sad about that. There are any number of dice rollers, character builders, spellbooks, or pretty much anything else you could need that bring the dungeon to your tablet or phone. Soon, thanks to the talented and dedicated programmers at Prizm, you’ll be able to bring your entire board gaming experience into the virtual space, without taking away any of the comradery or intamacy of actually sitting around the table.

The PlayTable is a large digital interface intended for tabletop gaming in all forms, and is promising to be remarkably robust and flexible in what it can do. The default size is almost 24″ across, with a full HD 1920x1080p display. Customers get their choice of three finishes: Ash Wood, Cherry Wood, and Matte Black, so you can even coordinate your table with your decor.

You’ll be able to play standard card and old school board games like chess and checkers right out of the box. Gamers will be able to use Prizm’s proprietary software to create their own gaming experiences, which will allow them to include figures they might have from other game lines such as Skylanders or Disney’s late, great Infinity. Wanna slap together a virtual dungeon crawl? You’ll be able to use RFID tags attached to your pre-existing minis and throw them in to the action! The specifics of the depth and breadth of the programming capability of The PlayTable is fuzzy at best, but the demo videos would indicate it’s fairly easy to pick up.

Owners will be able to augment their collections with games from PlayTable’s app store. While we don’t have a full list of what will be available at launch, it’s clear that Settlers of Catan, Smash Up, Ticket to Ride, and Coup will be on the roster. Prizm also name checks Pathfinder and Dungeons & Dragons on their site as the kind of games you’ll be able play.

A $99 reservation fee can have one set aside for you, with a final pre-order price of $349 and MSRP of $599. There are also hints at larger versions, one literally the size of a tabletop.

Digital or Analog? Which side are you on? And what features would YOU like to see for The PlayTable? Let us know!

Photo Credits: Prizm