Introduction: The notion of playing PC games on the go has been connected to gaming laptops for over two decades. But today, due to the expanding development of handheld devices that allow for full PC gaming experience, it seems that something completely different is coming to players interested in having their personal computer video game libraries wherever they go.
Article: The history of gaming can be broken down into a number of phases where static video game systems have been placed under pressure by mobile and handheld devices. That process goes all the way back to the late 1970s, when the dominance of video game parlors and their arcade machines was broken first by home consoles, then by PCs. However, the same balance was again disrupted by Game Boy, a handheld device that, for the first time, offered a much more immersive gaming experience for those who want to play anywhere. Then, yet again, static systems began to dominate, including both PC and consoles like Xbox and Playstation. The rise of gaming laptops in the early 2000s provided an interesting mixture of mobility and sheer PC power, but this came at a serious price. At the same time, the expansion of smartphones also gave game development teams the opportunity to create gaming experiences for people to enjoy anywhere and everywhere.
The last big change in this tug of war between static and mobile gaming came in the form of Nintendo Switch. It promised and later on delivered a means of having both a home console and a powerful handheld gaming device, bundled into a singular product. But recently, a range of products from the handheld arena came around, offering once more gaming on the go, but this time as purpose-build mobile gaming systems. Most of them came to the market in a really low-key format, avoiding extensive promotional marketing or overpromising on their capabilities. Instead, their collective pitch to gamers is overall pretty similar: for PC gamers to have access to their libraries of games without the need to have a PC or gaming laptop around. Here are some of the presently most popular options in this market, as well as the future these might have in the years to come.
Stream Deck Innovation
The first device that provided this take on the PC gaming market came directly from the operators of the biggest software platform for these games, which is the Valve Corporation. Its Steam online marketplace has been the go-to choice for PC gamers for nearly 20 years, offering all manner of gaming genres and production sizes. Their idea included the possibility of Steam users having access to their entire library, but using a handheld device. That device is now known as Steam Deck and it has found moderate success since it came out at the start of 2022. The device is powerful and ideal for the running of Steam games. However, its battery life included a lot of criticism, as well as its substantial weight. But, thanks to the huge Steam audience, it will likely remain the first option for those who want their Steam games available everywhere.
Asus ROG Ally X
The fact that there is plenty of potential in the handheld PC gaming domain is underlined by the fact that Asus is in this market as well. The giant of phone hardware and electronic manufacturing decided to launch its Asus ROG Ally line of handheld devices. The company launched this line in 2023 and so far pushed out even newer versions. It is a direct competitor to Steam Deck and offers a range of benefits. First of all, it holds a 80Wh battery that provides enough energy for hours and hours of gaming. Its recent upgrade, the Asus ROG Ally X includes a big memory boost, so it is one of the most powerful alternatives in that regard currently on the market. Because of this, many reviewers place the same handheld at the top of the list of these devices.
Lenovo Legion Go
Similar to Asus, Lenovo was another tech developer that decided to jump into the PC handheld gaming arena. Lenovo reached worldwide fame thanks to its high-quality, but affordable tablets. That is likely the reason why Lenovo Legion Go has the best display on the market, even though some games still have trouble with its native resolution. The other problem that is often noted with it is its big size. However, it also provides a range of system tweaks and settings for any game played on the same handheld. That is the main reason why so many hardcore gamers decided to purchase it and use its impressive flexibility.
New Market
For many, when these PC handheld gaming systems first came out, the key question about them boiled down to the issue of whether or not they are a better option than Nintendo Switch. But, the experience of those who use them shows that the hardware makes little difference when compared to the games on offer. Steam and PC gamers want their titles on the go, not just gain access to any type of gaming. Otherwise, most of them would be perfectly happy with gaming apps on their mobile phones. That is why the future of these devices seems reasonably bright, even though they face a range of possible issues. The price is clearly one of them, as all of the big-brand names are substantially more expensive than Nintendo Switch. Additionally, a range of PC-based gaming genres are not ideally suited for any kind of mobile gaming. Real-time strategies, for example, or other genres that are both action-based and demanding on the management side, still feel oddly suited to these gaming platforms.
That means that game development companies would have to modify their releases if handheld PC gaming expands further. Finally, the pressure on all of these, including Nintendo Switch, comes from game streaming services. These also offer gaming on the go, even with a possible merger of mobile phones for screens and special controller-rigs that can connect to the same phones. With that setup, players would be able to access any games they like with a fraction of the price of current handheld gaming devices. The only downside would be a smaller screen, but even handhelds make that sacrifice compared to PC and gaming laptops. Despite all of these challenges, the present PC gaming market still provides plenty of interest for these devices. That means that they will continue to evolve and most likely begin to lower their prices as the volume of sales increases as well.
Author: Ivica Milaric, game designer and assistant professor of game design at the Novi Sada Academy of Arts, Republic of Serbia