It seems as though the much-anticipated Xbox handheld, codename “Keenan”, has been revealed by its maker, Asus.
Yes, as reported by our pals over at Pure Xbox, Asus has dropped a slick teaser trailer for their upcoming ROG-Ally-styled handheld, which will carry official Xbox branding, buttons and — we’re assuming — a nice new UI that ties it into Microsoft’s home console ecosystem.
It’s only a very short glimpse, but the trailer (below) does give us a good look at a console that falls very much in line with what we’ve seen in the last two gaming handhelds from Asus. We’re not sure we’ve been able to make out some of the rumoured features of the console from this advert, such as a dedicated Xbox button, like the one found on the console’s controllers. However, the very obvious flashes of the classic Xbox controller buttons leave no mystery about what we’re looking at here.
More interestingly, during a sequence where a robotic character sits at a computer, we see a bunch of info telling us to expect “more capacity” as well as a “fresh look” and, perhaps more interestingly, “faster speeds” and “marathon stamina”. So, an Ally rocking more SSD space, RAM, and a better battery? We’re not foaming at the mouth. You are.
Note the side-eyed response from the Xbox X account above, acknowledging involvement without any disrespectful nods on the timing of the trailer itself – if somehow you’d forgotten, there’s a Switch 2 Direct tomorrow. Of course, Xbox won’t want to be starting anything more than a bit of playful banter with the big N, as there could be any number of crossovers or partnerships in the future between these consoles. But also, well, because the Switch 2 absolutely commands respect.
Nintendo consoles bring that big shiny Nintendo seal of quality, and the storied games that its fanbase want along with it, which is something that the snazzy specs on these powerful new handheld PCs need to be careful in competing with. For those who aren’t au fait with the ROG Ally, by the way, it’s one of the most straight-up powerful handhelds currently out there – you can check out a very informative review of it over at Pure Xbox.
Put it all together and this new console is certainly looking like a powerful new, Xbox-branded replacement for the ROG Ally, and Asus will know that with that branding, and with Game Pass and a sweet new interface, this is a console that could really turn the heads of some potential Switch 2 customers. We don’t think the advert’s timing is coincidence, let’s say that much.
Taking into account this console will undoubtedly be packing serious firepower, a slick UI, and instant access to Game Pass (presumably), and there’s no doubt interests will be piqued, especially if you’re on a budget and looking for just one handheld going forward this year. It’ll certainly be interesting to see where Asus lands with the price tag.
However, for the discerning Nintendo fan, we’re not sure just how much this new console actually factors into the year’s plans. It’s not going to replace any of our current consoles in the way the Switch 2 will, that’s for sure. We won’t be looking at it for huge new exclusives, so perhaps a direct rivalry can be avoided in favour of peaceful times and beautiful crossovers.
What do you think of the latest Asus console? Would you consider it a direct challenger to Switch 2, or is it an entirely different beast that you won’t be considering? Make sure to let us know in the comments!
It seems as though the much-anticipated Xbox handheld, codename "Keenan", has been revealed by its maker, Asus.
Yes, as reported by our pals over at Pure Xbox, Asus has dropped a slick teaser trailer for their upcoming ROG-Ally-styled handheld, which will carry official Xbox branding, buttons and — we're assuming — a nice new UI that ties it into Microsoft's home console ecosystem.
It's only a very short glimpse, but the trailer (below) does give us a good look at a console that falls very much in line with what we've seen in the last two gaming handhelds from Asus. We're not sure we've been able to make out some of the rumoured features of the console from this advert, such as a dedicated Xbox button, like the one found on the console's controllers. However, the very obvious flashes of the classic Xbox controller buttons leave no mystery about what we're looking at here.
More interestingly, during a sequence where a robotic character sits at a computer, we see a bunch of info telling us to expect "more capacity" as well as a "fresh look" and, perhaps more interestingly, "faster speeds" and "marathon stamina". So, an Ally rocking more SSD space, RAM, and a better battery? We're not foaming at the mouth. You are.
Note the side-eyed response from the Xbox X account above, acknowledging involvement without any disrespectful nods on the timing of the trailer itself - if somehow you'd forgotten, there's a Switch 2 Direct tomorrow. Of course, Xbox won't want to be starting anything more than a bit of playful banter with the big N, as there could be any number of crossovers or partnerships in the future between these consoles. But also, well, because the Switch 2 absolutely commands respect.
Nintendo consoles bring that big shiny Nintendo seal of quality, and the storied games that its fanbase want along with it, which is something that the snazzy specs on these powerful new handheld PCs need to be careful in competing with. For those who aren't au fait with the ROG Ally, by the way, it's one of the most straight-up powerful handhelds currently out there - you can check out a very informative review of it over at Pure Xbox.
Put it all together and this new console is certainly looking like a powerful new, Xbox-branded replacement for the ROG Ally, and Asus will know that with that branding, and with Game Pass and a sweet new interface, this is a console that could really turn the heads of some potential Switch 2 customers. We don't think the advert's timing is coincidence, let's say that much.
Taking into account this console will undoubtedly be packing serious firepower, a slick UI, and instant access to Game Pass (presumably), and there's no doubt interests will be piqued, especially if you're on a budget and looking for just one handheld going forward this year. It'll certainly be interesting to see where Asus lands with the price tag.
However, for the discerning Nintendo fan, we're not sure just how much this new console actually factors into the year's plans. It's not going to replace any of our current consoles in the way the Switch 2 will, that's for sure. We won't be looking at it for huge new exclusives, so perhaps a direct rivalry can be avoided in favour of peaceful times and beautiful crossovers.
What do you think of the latest Asus console? Would you consider it a direct challenger to Switch 2, or is it an entirely different beast that you won't be considering? Make sure to let us know in the comments!
