Logitech and Tencent taking on Steam Deck with the power of the cloud

After the runaway success of the Nintendo Switch, it seems like everyone wants a piece of the handheld platform pie. Valve’s Steam Deck has made the biggest impact in this regard, and now there appears to be a new rival of its own in the form of Logitech and Tencent’s cloud-powered handheld console.

As the companies put it, the new machine will focus on ease of access via streaming services rather than relying on its own power to provide AAA gaming experiences.

Fun on demand

As announced earlier today, Logitech and Tencent will tap into the convivence of streaming services such as Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming to provide the backbone for this new system. Just like devices such as the aforementioned Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch, its purpose is focused squarely on being able to provide a full gaming experience when on the move.

Logitech G’s general manager, Ujesh Desai gushed over the concept. He stated the system is “super exciting,” and both companies “can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve been working on.” On Tencent’s side, its own general manager, Daniel Wu, had similarly lofty statements, saying the handheld will “push the frontiers of gaming devices.”

Logitech and Tencent prepare a Steam Deck rival

Both GMs provided a pretty strong statement, despite the device not using its own power to handle rendering. A cloud-based device will be heavily reliant on having a strong, consistent connection for a lag-free experience. So, while it is technically more convenient rather than relying on fixed specs that will age over time, it may not prove that useful in situations where a decent connection is hard to find. For example, if you’re using public Wi-Fi (basic connection at a hotel, for instance) or you’re traveling on a plane or train, you’re connection might not be enough for gaming.

There’s also the limitation of geofencing. GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming are gradually becoming more available in different markets across the globe, but their reach isn’t truly worldwide yet. All things considered, the one big benefit of a system like this is that it’s very likely to be cheaper than even a Nintendo Switch, if not around the same price. So, if anything, that will be its biggest selling point.