ASUS hints at an ROG Ally-inspired Xbox PC handheld

ASUS has released an intriguing teaser trailer for a forthcoming device. The footage strongly suggests it will be some kind of handheld device. Both Xbox and ASUS are not being overly mysterious, either: after recent leaks regarding Project Kennan, many anticipate some sort of Xbox handheld. This isn't particularly unexpected.

It appears that a new gaming handheld powered by Windows is on its way, and ASUS promises gamers a #NextLevelGaming experience. It's possible that ASUS may start revealing more about this new product tomorrow. After all, the original ROG Ally's announcement was initially mistaken for an April Fool’s prank. It stands to reason that its successor might follow a similar pattern.

Project Kennan served as the codename for this specific third-party handheld, which is being developed with an external OEM partner rather than being produced by Microsoft itself. Keep in mind that Microsoft has sold (and continues to sell) every Xbox console at a loss, so they are not keen on creating more hardware.

There is a chance that Project Kennan will feature an updated version of Windows, possibly designed specifically for handhelds, along with a tailored Xbox app for game optimization, sharing, and launching.

Next-generation ROG Ally handhelds, expected to use the new AMD Ryzen Z2 chips, are projected to launch sometime this year, making it plausible that the Xbox handheld is part of this new hardware lineup. If that’s true, the Xbox handheld could turn out to be a very robust portable gaming device.

Naturally, this news emerges just two days prior to the scheduled Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, meaning that the ROG Ally Xbox handheld may overshadow the Switch 2. From a marketing perspective, that’s quite a savvy maneuver.

As always, for the latest news on hardware launches and industry developments, be sure to follow our dedicated hardware coverage.