Handheld gaming has a rich history, and pioneers like the Game Boy, and the PSP, have captured the hearts of gamers everywhere. Now, with the Steam Deck, and upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 on the horizon, there’s no doubt that handheld gaming will become the best way to game in 2025 and onwards.
In fact, handheld gaming has always been the best way to continue gaming on the go, whether you’re traveling, enjoying the outdoors, or on your break, everyone with access to a console can hold on to their gaming sessions at any time.
Companies such as Lenovo have dipped their toes in the water with handheld gaming, with their brand new Legion Go S releasing soon. Could we be seeing handheld gaming as the norm into the future?
What Makes Handheld Gaming Great?
The best part about handheld gaming is convenience and portability. The ability to play on the go while traveling, on breaks, or in a group is unbeatable in terms of flexibility. Today’s consoles such as the Nintendo Switch and Valve’s Steam Deck provide power to gamers to experience open worlds without the limitation of having to be stationary.
Handheld consoles typically offer the ability to access a large number of games, like indies, retro games, or some AAA titles ported over. With a vast number of games, from newly released titles to older games, this diversity attracts to a great number of people, with something available for everyone.
Anyone who’s owned a Nintendo DS, Game Boy, or a PSP knows where I’m getting at here. These consoles were the best during our childhoods, with every game we played keeping us hooked wherever we went or whether we stayed inside.
The Future of Handheld Gaming
Image: Lenovo
With the upcoming release of the Nintendo Switch 2 this year, we may see a potentially busy market full of handheld consoles packed with power. Lenovo’s Legion Go S, and Legion Go 2 will be the company’s next handheld consoles to be released soon, but whether the successor to the original Legion Go will soon be told in due time.
But I also bet you’ve never heard of this new handheld console that pushes the envelope. When we first heard about this console, our interested seriously skyrocketed at what this is capable of.
The Ayaneo 3, announced this year, is marketed as the world’s first modular handheld console, offering customizable joysticks, and button layouts to suit all sorts of preferences.
Image: Ayaneo
Even though this isn’t Ayaneo’s first-time in the handheld console game (with their previously released Ayaneo 2), they’re surely looking to revolutionize handheld gaming as we know it.
Several other upcoming handhelds such as the MSI Claw 8 AI+, the Acer Nitro Blaze 11, & Blaze 8 will be making their way into the world of handheld gaming shortly this year.
Overall, the future of handheld gaming is starting to look promising than before, so you can expect to see more companies enter the world of handheld gaming pretty soon.
What’s The Verdict?
All in all, majority of players love handheld gaming, but whether handheld gaming is the best way of playing is up to personal preference. Anyone that values portability and convenience, especially a personal gaming experience, will find handheld consoles offering various advantages.
As technology advances, the gap between handheld and traditional gaming continues narrowing, making handheld gaming the best option for a broad variety of players.
The future of gaming is exciting, whether you’re a casual gamer looking for quick entertainment, or an enthusiast seeking deep immserive experience, we can assure you, handheld gaming could be the way to play in the future.
