NPC: Next Portable Console

Is the Steam Machine Just Around the Corner?

This week on NPC: Next Portable Console, mysterious Valve shipments are heading to the U.S., GameHub hits 6.0, one of us got multiple Steam Controllers, and plastic versus aluminum. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes Steam Controller Pre-Orders Steam Controller Steam Deck Steam Deck Docking Station Valve Hardware Speculation Valve Imported 50 Tons of Game Consoles (The Verge) Anbernic RG Rotate Anbernic RG Rotate Retro Game Corps First Impressions Lenovo Legion Tab Lenovo Legion Tab (US, $849) Game Native and Android PC Emulation Game Native (Android) AYN Odin 3 AYN Thor AYN Odin 2 Mini Lossless Scaling LSFG VK (Vulkan Frame Generation) Lenovo Legion Go 2 Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy

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The Weirdly Wonderful RG Rotate

This week on Next Portable Console, we finally have RG Rotate specs and prices, get excited for the Steam Controller, update listeners on the latest grips available for the Switch 2, and cover the GameHub for Mac beta. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News Anbernic teases the RG Rotate with gameplay demo showing PSP, 3DS, GameCube, and PS2 running Dbrand's Joy-Lock gives Switch 2 Joy-Cons an adjustable ratcheting grip Genki Grips Development Update: Locking In The Details GameHub brings Windows PC game compatibility to Mac in an early beta with solid early results Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy

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Triggers, Tico, and the Thor Tax

This week on Next Portable Console, OnePlus makes a phone controller with only triggers, Tico 0.7.0 brings GameCube and Wii emulation to the Switch, Ayn raises prices, and Steam comes to Android via ROCKNIX. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News OnePlus reveals Marksman Gaming Controller alongside Ace 6 Ultra smartphone Tico 0.7.0 brings experimental GameCube and Wii emulation to Nintendo Switch via Dolphin AYN raises Thor Max price and downgrades storage to UFS 3.1 Valve's Proton 11 beta enables Steam on Arm-based Android handhelds via ROCKNIX Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy

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Forty Thousand Steam Controllers

This week on Next Portable Console, TrimUI's slow drip of details on the Brick Pro continues, shipping manifests suggest the Steam Controller may beat the Steam Machine to market, and OnePlus makes a strong bid for weirdest handheld announcement of 2026. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News The TrimUI Brick Pro nears official release with packaging revealed ONEXPLAYER teases X2 Mini handheld with Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and 8.8-inch OLED Shipping manifest leak suggests Steam Controller launch is imminent Lenovo teasing larger Legion Tab gaming tablet OnePlus reportedly developing an Android gaming handheld targeting FPS games with purple faux leather grips Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy

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The RG Rotate Gets Real

This week on Next Portable Console, the SN Operator is delayed, an Ayn Odin non-drama, a new contender for weirdest handheld of 2026, even more on the RG Rotate, and how we find retro game shops. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News GAMEMT E5 ModX is a modular handheld that converts between controller, horizontal, and vertical form factors AYN Odin 3's "Snapdragon 8 Elite" is actually a Qualcomm Dragonwing Q8 IoT chip Genki launches Covert Dock 3 and ShadowCast 3 Pro for Switch 2 and modern handhelds Anbernic RG Rotate new photos More on whether the RG Rotate has a headphone jack Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy

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PAX, the Pocket Taco, and a $900 PlayStation

PAX, the Pocket Taco, and a $900 PlayStation This week on Next Portable Console, Brendon reports back on the hardware he saw at PAX East, John gives the Pocket Taco a try, and with Federico, they cover the latest handheld news. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News More videos of the Anbernic "RG Flic" AYANEO Pauses More Handhelds More PlayStation Handheld Rumors Dolphin Now Supports Game Boy Player Brendon on PAX East John Reviews the GameSir Pocket Taco Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy

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Strix Halo Stalls, the Legion Go Returns

This week on Next Portable Console, a PlayStation Portable update, Honda and Sony call off car-based gaming, Epilogue shows of the SN Operator and makes and app, the fate of Windows handhelds, Federico's Legion Go makes a comeback, and more. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News PlayStation Portal has added a higher quality 1080p option Sony and Honda cancel Afeela EV project after years of development Epilogue News SN Operator Sneak peek Epilogue releases Retrace mobile app for game cartridge identification and counterfeit detection Epilogue Retrace on the App Store AYANEO Ends Next 2 Pre-oreders AYANEO suspends pre-orders of Next 2 The Verge: AYANEO Windows gaming handheld sustainability Federico Revitalizes his Legion Go Lenovo Legion Go Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy