Asus hasn’t produced a new teaser in several weeks. It suggests an interesting new PC gaming handheld developed in partnership with Microsoft’s Xbox team. The device, still cloaked in darkness, shows just a pair of joysticks and the shape of a central screen. Asus posted this 34-second teaser video on Monday, featuring the upcoming product. The short film hints at something particularly fun with its ROG Ally handheld’s pairing with Xbox technology.
Teaser Video Features and Design
The teaser video stars Voxak, the Asus Republic of Gamers’ mascot, shown as sprite-like voxels, who is seen gaming while apparently whipping up the new device. The video showcases a few of the big features, like speedier speeds, marathon stamina, capacity-boosting ability, and new paint job. That said, as of this writing, Asus hasn’t provided a firm launch date for this forthcoming Steam Deck competitor.
This news comes as competition in the portable gaming sector is heating up. If successful, the new device would give Microsoft a leg up in competition with Valve’s immensely popular Steam Deck handheld device. Valve has been actively working to port SteamOS to third-party handhelds, including a very successful partnership with Lenovo.
The soon-to-launch Asus device is expected to run on Windows, but it would have an Xbox-like software interface. This design wasn’t for aesthetics, it was designed to improve user experience by making gaming more inclusive and natural. The addition of Xbox technology into the device indicates that gamers comfortable using Xbox consoles will have an easy transition to the handheld.
Author’s Opinion
Asus’ upcoming handheld gaming device, if successful, could significantly shake up the portable gaming space, offering a strong alternative to the Steam Deck. The integration of Xbox technology will provide an appealing transition for existing Xbox gamers, but its success will ultimately depend on how well it competes with Valve’s established dominance in this market.
