In a surprise update, Xbox has begun displaying an "Xbox Handheld" logo on some game pages, including Gears of War: E-Day, Halo: Campaign Evolved, and more. To be fair, this isn't all that surprising. Xbox already indicates whether a game is handheld-optimised within the Xbox app, but it's still a neat graphic that makes it immediately clear where a game can be played.
Now, forgive me while I go off on a slightly speculative tangent, one that I also saw VideoCardz explore. Rumors have been swirling for a while about Xbox developing its own in-house handheld, and personally, that's the device I really want to see. While I appreciate features like Xbox Play Anywhere, not being able to access my entire Xbox library on my Xbox Ally X pains my soul every time I turn the thing on.
Honestly, I'll be pretty gutted if that device ends up stuck on the back burner and never sees the light of day, which is entirely possible given the current state of the industry. Memory prices remain stubbornly high, and hardware costs in general are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore, something even Xbox CEO, Asha Sharma bluntly admits herself.
Back on topic, though, Xbox being upfront about exactly where its games can be played is a nice touch. Realistically, the Xbox Handheld tag is probably just a reference to devices like the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, one of which is even showcased beneath the badge itself.
Still, seeing that label gives me some confidence that a game has been optimized well for portable hardware and beyond. It also gives me hope for those out there still rocking a Steam Deck. While Valve's handheld isn't officially listed, the Z2 Go powering the Xbox Ally isn't in a completely different league, and if a game can run well on one handheld, that's usually a good sign for optimization in general.
Anyway, let me know what you think of the new Xbox Handheld badge in the comments below, and be sure to take part in our poll below:
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