Handheld gaming devices are experiencing a renaissance, with the potential to become the dominant form of gaming again.
Modern handhelds like the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck deliver console-quality gaming in portable form without compromises. This fulfills the decades-old vision of gaming anywhere.
Past attempts with devices like the Game Boy, PSP, and DS fell short with limitations in power, controls, and game libraries. But improvements in hardware and cloud gaming now enable a seamless handheld experience.
The Switch's hybrid model and the Steam Deck's processing power pair perfectly with the cloud and smartphone app revolutions. Dedicated handheld makers like Anbernic and Analogue are also innovating.
For most gamers, the convenience of mobile play trumps maximum graphics and performance. While PC and console gaming won't disappear, handhelds better suit gaming's future as an on-the-go experience.
Nintendo's 1989 Game Boy ad touted gaming on the go as a novelty. But the Switch and Steam Deck make that an everyday reality matching stationary systems. Handheld gaming has come full circle as the ultimate flexible and liberating way to play.