Switch 2, Steam Deck, and the next-gen console wars
The Nintendo Switch 2 is nigh. Nigh-ish, anyway. When it does launch later this year, it might start another revolution in portable gaming, as millions of people are able to play from their couch, their bed, the train, and anywhere else. That was also true of the first Switch, though, and as big a hit as it was it didnât spark an industry-wide shift to handhelds the way some people expected. So what gives?
On this episode of The Vergecast, we dig in on the state of the handheld console wars. The Vergeâs Sean Hollister joins the show to tell us about what weâve learned about the Steam Deckâs success, and whether the sales numbers weâre seeing reflect an exciting new market or a surprisingly static one. We also talk about why Sony and Microsoft have (so far) avoided building Steam Deck-like gadgets of their own, and why the Windows handheld universe remains a bit disappointing. We all think handheld, convertible consoles could be the future, but it might take a little longer than we thought.
After that, David reports on a trip he took to Florida to see behind the scenes at TGL, a golf league featuring some of the highest-tech sporting gear youâve ever seen anywhere. …