I was almost interested in this newly announced Steam Deck rival until crypto vibes spoiled it all
Apr. 11, 2024Womp womp, it’s a Web3 handheld
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It’s amazing how a single sentence can serve up a rollercoaster of emotions, especially when I’m being baited by the idea of a Steam Deck rival. In this case, the culprit was an announcement for a brand new handheld that uses PlaytronOS, an open-source Linux operating system that’ll allegedly take the fight to SteamOS and Windows. Ambitious, right? Well, the reveal also included the words ‘Web3’, so I’ve already accepted that this one’s for the Crypto bros.
And what a shame too, as the so-called SuiPlay0X almost sounds like something that could take on thebest gaming handheldsout there, at least when you brush away the Web3 dust. Announced viaTwitter, the portable pitch drowns itself in chat about how it’ll use the blockchain to provide access to the likes of the Epic Game Store, but also promises to unify all PC storefronts with a single launcher.
Okay, that’s not a completely new idea, and if you’ve got aSteam Deck OLED, you might already be using something like the Heroic Games Launcher to access EGS and GOG. But, with Playtron CEO Kirt McMaster claiming that the goal is to “extract the PC gaming ecosystem from Windows,” during an interview withVenturebeat, I’m now wondering whether the SuiPlay0x could offer more than just a software solution.
Perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself, but Playtron’s pitch got me thinking about last year’s new Snapdragon G series unveiling, as Qualcomm touched on the idea ofbridging the gap between PC and mobile. It’s worth hammering home that the company says that the hardware side of the SuiPlay0x is theoretical for now, and Qualcomm’s vision specifically mentions using something called ‘Android+’. However, the basic principle of breaking down platform barriers appears to be similar, and if using theAsus ROG Allyhas taught me anything, it’s that the handheld scene would benefit from a more unified approach (looking at you, Windows 11).
That’s not to say that Windows handhelds are a lost cause, and I still thinkMicrosoftcould make the perfectXbox handheldwith a few tweaks. The point I’m getting at is that the SuiPlay0x is using the idea of unifying platforms on handhelds as a selling point, even if the ambitions are corrupted by Crypro shenanigans. Ditching the whole Web3 thing and focussing more on the platform compatibility side of things could transform the hypothetical handheld into something truly exciting, providing access to mobile and PC games using hardware rather than streaming.
Should you wait for the SuiPlay0x?
That said, I’m definitely going to be keeping an eye out for the SuiPlay0x, as while I’ve less than zero interest in the blockchain side of things, I want to see how Playtron’s multiplatform efforts pan out. Even just the notion of a portable with better access to multiple storefronts could be enough to entice the likes of Microsoft to facilitate easier access to every game out there, and we might even see some rivals fulfill Qualcomm’s hybrid PC Mobile dreams.
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I’ve been messing around with PCs, video game consoles, and tech since before I could speak. Don’t get me wrong, I kickstarted my relationship with technology by jamming a Hot Wheels double-decker bus into my parent’s VCR, but we all have to start somewhere. I even somehow managed to become a walking, talking buyer’s guide at my teenage supermarket job, which helped me accept my career fate. So, rather than try to realise my musician dreams, or see out my University degree, I started running my own retro pop culture site and writing about video games and tech for the likes of TechRadar, The Daily Star, and the BBC before eventually ending up with a job covering graphics card shenanigans at PCGamesN. Now, I’m your friendly neighbourhood Hardware Editor at GamesRadar, and it’s my job to make sure you can kick butt in all your favourite games using the best gaming hardware, whether you’re a sucker for handhelds like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch or a hardcore gaming PC enthusiast.
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