The first Xbox handheld was merely formally teased

Asus has teased what might probably be an Xbox-branded ROG Ally handheld in a mysterious post on X.

The transient clip (which you will check out beneath), choices the company’s “little robotic pal” leaping proper right into a machine with every an ROG Ally X and an ROG Asus Raikiri gamepad to create… successfully, one factor. That acknowledged, many people (along with me) assume this shrouded handheld might be going an ROG Ally X with Xbox-branding (unfortuantely, these aren’t Xbox video video games on the shelf — all of them have ROG-branding).

By now, chances are you’ll assume it’s a little little bit of a attain and, often, I would agree with you — hear me out, though.

Fortuitously, there’s further to the story. Under the clip is a reply from the official Xbox X account that gives the publish slightly little bit of side-eye with the help of a very acquainted meme. There are moreover a variety of newest leaks hinting at what Asus and Microsoft are attainable engaged on.

Is that this the Xbox handheld Microsoft has reportedly been engaged on for years?

It might probably be, and we attainable won’t need to attend prolonged to know for sure

Rumors a few devoted Xbox handheld have been swirling for years, nonetheless they kicked into overdrive the previous couple of days. Closing week, Windows Central’s Jez Corden outlined Microsoft’s rumored handheld plans, stating that an Xbox handheld will launch later this 12 months, with next-gen consoles arriving in 2027.

Then The Verge’s Tom Warren backed up this report a few days later with further explicit knowledge regarding Endeavor Kennan, a handheld being labored on by Xbox and Asus. Warren says that whereas the rumored system will be Residence home windows 11-powered, it will attribute an interface very like what you’d uncover on the Xbox Assortment X/S as part of an effort to raised unify Xbox and Residence home windows.

With all of this in ideas, Asus’ newest X tease might be going Endeavor Kennan. It stays unclear if Microsoft’s future handheld efforts could even embody its private devoted handheld, or if the company’s approach is to forge partnerships with leaders inside the space like Asus. It’s unclear when Asus and Microsoft will reveal this mission, however when it’s being teased on X, a reveal attainable isn’t that far off.

As a large fan of the ROG Ally X that appreciates the pliability Residence home windows 11 offers, nonetheless that’s moreover often aggravated by how troublesome this makes the system, the prospect of an Xbox overlay that replaces Asus’ Armory Crate SE software program program is fascinating. If Asus can pull off a Steam Deck-like SteamOS working system that mixes open nature of Residence home windows with the simplicity of the Swap, I’m positively into the thought. The timing of this reveal is attention-grabbing, too, with the Nintendo’s Switch 2’s full reveal looming on the horizon in a few weeks.

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The ROG Ally X is great, but the Steam Deck OLED easily beats it in 4 key ways

I identical to the ROG Ally X, nonetheless within the case of on-the-go gaming, I uncover myself turning to the Steam Deck OLED – for this reason.