If you can’t afford your next gaming console, is cheaper or even free ad-based Xbox cloud streaming really the future? If so, then we’d be better off with a slim, portable device dedicated solely to streaming. The problem is nobody wants to make the one streaming handheld we’d actually want to use. On Tuesday, The Verge published an interview with Logitech G’s new head honcho, Robin Piispanen, that explicitly mentions that the G Cloud streaming handheld isn’t getting a sequel anytime soon. The reason why is clear: Players didn’t actually like the device all that much. Back in 2022 and 2023, you could buy a Steam Deck for $50 more and play your own PC games without much fuss. The Logitech G Cloud was not going to work three years ago, but how about now, when handheld prices are untenable for most? Piispanen says Asus—which makes the ROG Xbox Ally X—and other handheld makers operate on “slim margins” that require them to partner with companies, like Nintendo or Valve, with direct access to gaming content. But is it really just a case of margins, or can anybody prove there’s a real demand for streaming-only devices?
The Logitech G Cloud did not sell all that well, according to Logitech’s new head of gaming. © Andrew Liszewski / Gizmodo The only reason we’re even talking about streaming handhelds is because component prices have become obscene. A Steam Deck OLED now starts at $790 for 512GB of storage. Lenovo’s Legion Go S and Legion Go 2 handhelds demand hundreds of dollars more than they did at launch. A modern, high-powered on-the-go device like the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ starts at $1,800. Let’s not even consider even more powerful portable gaming devices that cost $5,000 or more.
