Xbox's first foray into handheld gaming that isn't just "Game Pass on your phone." With the Switch 2 and the Steam Deck kicking around, handheld gaming is having a bit of a resurgence lately – although there's a big difference between 'portable' and 'actually convenient to take anywhere'. With the PlayStation Portal proving to essentially be a $200 Wii U Game Pad, Xbox must have thought the time was right to put out its first-ever handheld… at least according to the FCC. Per Windows Central:
The FCC leak seems to showcase two models, one is most likely the ASUS ROG Ally 2, with the white exterior, the black model is most likely Project Kennan, which I'm told is currently being tested at Microsoft HQ rather openly as we speak.
The black model appears to have a dedicated Xbox button on the upper left side, although it's lacking paint, an unmistakable "X" engraving can be seen. Personally, I was hoping the design would err a little closer on the Xbox side, but these are ASUS devices first, after all.
These devices are almost certainly running "full fat" Windows 11, although Microsoft may debut new gaming-oriented features at Build 2025, set for May 19. The electronics fair at Computex is also set for May 20, which seems like a logical event for ASUS to debut these new devices.
Rather than being developed in-house at Xbox, it seems Microsoft is outsourcing most of the work on the Xbox handheld to partner with ASUS – an understandable move, given that company's push into portable PCs and Xbox's recent rebrand to 'essentially just PCs in cool cases'. With neither Xbox nor Sony committing fully to a full-powered gaming handheld, though – at least at the moment – it seems anything particularly unique or quirky like, say, a PS Vita 2 is still a long way off.
Which is a shame. Enough of this 'PC with joysticks' stuff – I want my handhelds to be weird, stuffed full of proprietary features no one will ever use, and utterly unmarketable to the vast majority of consumers. Is that so much to ask?
Previously:
• KontrolFreek improves my Xbox One controller
• Bungie's Destiny for the Xbox One
• Google to add Xbox One controller compatibility to Android
• Xbox One review: a weekend with Microsoft's new console
• Bear cub: Mom says it's my turn to play Xbox
