All I want from the Microsoft Games Showcase is an Xbox handheld reveal

It's time for Microsoft and the Xbox brand to stop playing chicken with its fans and reveal what it has planned in regards to a Steam Deck rival. Whether it's a major software update to present a revamped version of Windows on gaming handhelds, or the Asus ROG Ally 2 with dedicated Xbox guide controls, the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase feels like the perfect time to reveal all, mainly because no one will be expecting it.

The ongoing 'will they, won't they' rhetoric with Microsoft and handhelds has become rather comedic, so the time has come to show whether an Xbox alternative to the Steam Deck is in fact coming, or whether we're still no way near a potential release date. The latest leak suggested that the Asus ROG Ally 2 was, in fact, going to arrive with Xbox-specific design features, but nothing has been officially revealed since.

This ongoing game of cat and mouse reached a boiling point when Asus, who already make some of the best gaming handhelds, posted a video teaser for a new device, which Xbox directly responded to on social media. The 33-second video below, titled "Run Omni_Upgrades.exe", showed a cute animation of the ROG Ally and ROG Kairi, an Xbox controller, ending up in some kind of upgrade machine, alongside Asus ROG's mascot. The result is a handheld silhouette, purposefully positioned to get us all thinking creatively, and it succeeded.

Fast forward a few weeks, and images of two new ROG Ally handhelds have leaked, with one reportedly being the new Asus ROG Ally 2 and rumored to feature a dedicated Xbox guide button.

Going back to March 2024, Xbox accidentally leaked the integration of Steam games into the Xbox app, too. Mix this in with recent updates to the Xbox App adding clock and battery life display support, and all signs point towards a major update coming soon.

Meanwhile, this Sunday, the annual Xbox Games Showcase takes place during Summer Game Fest, and while many will be looking forward to updates on some of the biggest first and third-party games coming over the next 12 months, I have my sights set on hardware instead.

Microsoft is working overtime to win back the belief of its hardcore audience following strange outrage over the fact that games like Forza Horizon 5 and Sea of Thieves are now available on PlayStation consoles.

A great way to do this would be to surprise everyone with the reveal of this long-awaited gaming handheld project. While everyone may expect such an announcement to come via Asus or as part of a major tech show, it makes even more sense to reveal it during the showcase, when the world of gaming will be solely focused on Xbox.

Revealing the handheld will also help put to rest years of speculation regarding the Xbox handheld plans. More reports recently speculated that the idea of Microsoft releasing a first-party handheld has cooled, with development paused and a focus on third-party hardware prioritized.

If the Asus/Xbox handheld, codenamed Project Kennan, is truly due for release in 2025, there seems like no better time to reveal it than during the games showcase, giving Microsoft and Asus plenty of time to market the device to a range of audiences ahead of the holiday season. However, only time will tell if this is the case.

For a look at what Project Kennan will be up against, check out our Ayaneo 3 review or Asus ROG Ally X review to see where current Windows handhelds sit in relation to the Steam Deck.

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