Valve might be Lenovo’s ‘particular visitor’ at just-announced gaming handheld occasion

“The way forward for gaming handhelds is coming to CES ‘25 and you’ve got a entrance row seat!” the e-mail in my inbox exclaims.

Let me translate: it seems to be like Lenovo simply tacitly confirmed it would announce its first SteamOS handheld in Las Vegas on or earlier than January seventh, 2025. We’re anticipating it to be the Steam button outfitted Legion Go S that leaker Evan Blass revealed final week.

Why do I say that? The January seventh occasion, titled “Lenovo Legion x AMD: The Future of Gaming Handhelds,” will function a particular visitor: Valve SteamOS and Steam Deck co-designer Pierre-Loup Griffais. Lenovo and AMD are calling him Valve’s “Chief Design Architect” for functions of this occasion.

(Most Valve workers are merely thought of designers internally, since they fluidly change between groups and duties; I consider Griffais as soon as informed me he prefers the identical, nevertheless it’s true he’s additionally been one of many few public faces of SteamOS and the Steam Deck. It’s a captivating firm.)

Griffais gained’t be the one intriguing alternative of panelist on stage: Jason Ronald, Microsoft VP of Xbox Gaming Devices and Ecosystem may even be in attendance. He’s now being launched as Microsoft’s “VP of Next Generation.”

Here’s the total description of the occasion:

Join us for a cocktail reception hosted by Lenovo Legion and AMD gaming leaders, with particular company Valve and different gaming business giants. We’ll be sharing our ideas on what lies forward within the gaming handheld house and showcasing our newest Lenovo Legion Go improvements superior by AMD. Come to listen to how Lenovo Legion and AMD Ryzen are making gaming extra immersive for all and keep to expertise the way forward for handheld gaming firsthand!

We’re not presently anticipating Microsoft to shock with an Xbox handheld on the occasion, as gaming boss Phil Spencer has steered that is likely to be a couple of years away. But it’s potential that Microsoft and Lenovo will attempt to counsel that every one handhelds are Xbox handhelds, like Microsoft does in its new “This is an Xbox” advertising marketing campaign:

I’ll be attending, and I’ll let you already know!