A new report into Microsoft's handheld gaming console plans appears to indicate that the company is putting its own first-party Xbox handheld on the back burner in order to prioritize Windows 11 gaming handheld optimization and the third-party offering from Asus, dubbed 'Kennan', as reported by Windows Central.
It's possible that this move from Microsoft is in response to the widespread success users have had using SteamOS on Windows 11-compatible handhelds. We recently covered the Lenovo Legion Go S handheld and its support for both SteamOS and Windows 11. There are a few caveats in running SteamOS, for example, the loss of Game Pass support. However, users who don't mind these sacrifices have noticed great performance output from SteamOS.
If you aren't familiar with the Xbox gaming handheld news, here's the latest. Microsoft was previously reported to be working on multiple handheld gaming devices, its own internal Xbox first-party handheld, and a third-party offering with Asus. The latter project has been dubbed "Project Kennan," and rumors have been floating for a while speculating on its potential release date. According to Windows Central, "Kennan is still targeting a launch for later this year," and the hardware for the device is "essentially finished."
According to the report, Microsoft's first-party offering appears to have been a more native Xbox console-style experience that could run full Xbox games. Sadly, it's this first-party offering that has been put on the back burner, at least for now.
Windows 11 has been the default OS for many handheld gaming systems, but things have definitely shaken up with the introduction of SteamOS. It's more than just the Legion Go S. You can run both Windows 11 and Steam OS on it, as well as the Asus ROG Ally. There are benefits to both operating systems, with Steam OS taking the lead on performance and Windows 11 providing access to the Windows ecosystem.
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