New XBOX Handheld badge: Steam Deck Verified for ROG Xbox Ally or promotion of new handhelds?
XBOX Handheld appears as a new “way to play”.
Microsoft has started using a new Xbox Handheld logo on official game pages, including Gears of War: E-Day, Halo: Campaign Evolved and State of Decay 3. The badge appears in the “Ways to play” section, next to Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC and Steam. Worth noting that the logo says “XBOX Handheld,” not “Xbox on handhelds”.
Steam Deck Cerfified for Xbox handhelds?
Source: Microsoft
Microsoft is possibly preparing a clearer compatibility label for Windows gaming handhelds, including the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, which were included in the game’s official page. However, the company already has a handheld compatibility program, but it’s not a special label, at least it wasn’t until now. So these badges should help users check whether games are expected to run properly on supported portable PCs. Think Steam Deck Compatible.
Source: Microsoft
Perhaps the logo it not just for optimization badge. This also feed existing rumors about Microsoft’s own Xbox handheld. The company has already confirmed the ASUS-made ROG Xbox Ally devices, but reports have claimed that a first-party Xbox handheld was either delayed, canceled or moved behind Project Helix on the hardware roadmap.
We previously covered Project Helix, Microsoft’s next Xbox platform, which is expected to blur the line between console and PC hardware . Microsoft also started expanding Xbox Mode beyond handhelds to Windows 11 PCs, showing that the company wants one Xbox interface across different device types.
So maybe this logo does not confirm anything yet, or perhaps this is something worth watching as Microsoft expands its handheld gaming push.
Source: NotebookCheck
