Tencent to take on Xbox and PlayStation with new cloud gaming portable console-Michael Beckwith-Entertainment – Metro

There’s no pictures of it yet, not even any concept art (pic: Logitech)

A portable cloud gaming console is in development at Tencent and, despite the lack of details, it’s aiming to be out later this year.

Breaking into the console market is no easy thing when Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo already have such a stranglehold on it. Although that’s not stopped other companies from trying.

In recent memory, only Valve’s Steam Deck has managed to achieve major success by virtue of it being a portable PC and having Valve’s name attached to it.

This month, Tencent announced it wants its own portable gaming console; one dedicated entirely to cloud gaming and currently set to release later this year.

Tencent is partnering with hardware manufacturer Logitech on the so far nameless console. We don’t have any idea what it looks like, but it will support multiple cloud gaming services.

The goal is to allow customers to play PC and console games on a dedicated portable console, which is a logical enough idea and something you would’ve thought Microsoft would have done already.

As such, Tencent and Logitech are also collaborating with the Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now teams to achieve this.

Microsoft is going all in on cloud gaming itself across consoles, computers, and phones (pic: Microsoft)

‘Logitech G’s leadership in PC and console gaming gear make them an ideal partner to help us realize the vision of bringing a better gaming experience to gamers around the globe,’ says Daniel Wu, general manager of Tencent Games Smart Solution Innovation Lab in a Logitech blog post.

Considering how big of a company Tencent is (bigger than any Western publisher), it has the money to pump into a new console that could rival the likes of Xbox and PlayStation.

However, cloud gaming is slowly becoming more commonplace. Microsoft is its biggest champion, but even Sony has cloud streaming options that let you play PlayStation 5 games on a mobile phone.

Tencent making a dedicated cloud gaming console might be what gives it the edge, but it so far lacks a unique hook, especially as there’s no indication that they are going to operate their own streaming service.

Plus, cloud streaming requires a constant and reliable Internet connection, which can be difficult to maintain if you’re on the move.

More: Gaming

Not to mention this is some unfortunate timing on Tencent’s part since people are spending less money on video games this year. The cost of living crisis is obviously a contributing factor and it’s only going to get worse now that the UK is expected to enter a year-long recession by Christmas.

Whatever Tencent’s console turns out being, though, it will certainly get a warmer reception than the NFT console.

Bet you already forgot this is a thing (pic: Polium)

Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, and follow us on Twitter.

MORE : Nintendo Switch on course to become third highest selling console ever despite sales dip

MORE : PS5 is losing a feature nobody has ever heard of

MORE : Even mobile games are in decline now as people spend less on smartphone apps

Follow Metro Gaming on Twitter and email us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk

To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here.

For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.

Entertainment – MetroRead More