The Steam Deck’s success has opened the floodgates for other companies testing the waters themselves with tons of alternatives. At this time, however, we’re only mostly seeing handheld PCs like the recently revealed AYANEO Air and other products down the line. Another aspect that they are all similar is the fact that most of Steam Deck's competitors focus on better hardware as a selling point, a perfectly valid strategy for PC gaming nerds who really want the best for their buck.
However, it appears that Tencent Games and Logitech will be creating something very much different from what has been the norm from other handheld PC makers. In a new statement, Logitech G has announced a partnership with Tencent Games to create a cloud gaming handheld that seeks to combine the two companies' expertise in both hardware and software. This new device will apparently support multiple cloud gaming services, with Logitech confirming that it is working with both Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce Now teams.
It's certainly a bold approach and one that is sure to turn some heads. Logitech G has a chance to really break through the handheld gaming space with this, especially if it finds a very competitive price point. This aspect is made rather easier as this device will certainly not need higher-end hardware like that in the Steam Deck or other various handheld gaming PCs, as games will mostly rely on a high-speed internet connection.
That said, there’s still some doubt to go about with this strategy. Technically speaking, a smartphone with a Bluetooth controller can achieve a portion of the results that this Logitech G handheld cloud console will offer, so there will be those asking if it’s even necessary in the first place. This is all before considering that the known definition of a gaming handheld is something which you can take with you everywhere, even somewhere without internet, a concept not possible with a cloud-only device.
Logitech G and Tencent will most probably need a big draw for this system to make sure it finds a competitive place in the market. It will be interesting to see how it will play out, and if a cloud-exclusive handheld console will actually resonate with gamers.
