The DEATH of the Handheld, The Rise of the Loungeheld | Cutting Room Floor Video
Added 2025-02-25 14:58:29 +0000 UTCHi Esteemed members of the Gentry!
Today, I have decided to try out a new exclusive content format for you guys I'm calling Cutting Room Floor. Yesterday I was recording the Director's Commentary for the month when I realized that it would probably be a good idea to add more variety to the Gentry exclusive content, since Director's Commentary is probably going to get a bit repetitive each month, so I should introduce an additional format to swap out when inspiration strikes. I think I've come up with a really good one here. What Cutting Room Floor is, are video ideas that I think are really good, but are bit too niche or ahead of the public conversation to totally work as a public video, but the ideas I think are going to be engaging and fun for the dedicated fans of the channel :-)
The format of the show is like a public content video, but I've taken it easier on the intensity of the editing and am a bit more loose and conversational. I'm hoping it's going to be the perfect midpoint between a high production public video and a podcast, more loose than the first and more visual and focused than the second.
I'm excited because I think this video series has a ton of potential :-) Today's subject is the Death of the Handheld, and the Rise of what I call the "Loungeheld" ha. I won't give the whole idea away, but this video idea occurred to be in reaction to the Switch 2 and I think many of its ideas are likely to re-appear when I review the Switch 2 (whenever it comes out).
Comments
excellent video. cool to see how your ideas gestate over a year or more before you refine them into something that wows the public with their depth. curious to see what stays or goes when your switch 2 video drops, everything here was worth hearing, so i'm glad we get to see it all before it gets trimmed down for the review.
framesperhuman
2025-03-22 21:08:22 +0000 UTCThat's such a great point holy. I have a funny story about this where I spent a bunch of time making this sort of docking station thing for my steam deck with a monitor and keyboard and I was all jazzed about how versatile it would be, and since setting it up I've just used my gaming laptop instead lol. Laptop truly are the bane of the loungeheld for sure, especially when it comes to travel.
The Electric Underground
2025-03-13 06:29:57 +0000 UTCHi Florida! I have seen this vid, I actually looked at it recently because I was gonna do a commentary on it but decided not to. It's funny just how different my view of demon's souls ended up being compared to Matt's, but that does also show the cross demographic appeal of the game for sure! Also thanks for the heads up on the typo ha, I got it fixed the morning after I posted the vid, spelling is my bane sometimes.
The Electric Underground
2025-03-13 06:28:18 +0000 UTCmark have you seen this vid? i gotta know. i know people have prolly endlessly recommended but im too curious https://youtu.be/Np5PdpsfINA?si=6byVUDp5MQO2Kk8k also you got a typo in the demon souls video title. it’s principles not principals
Florida sucks
2025-03-08 04:35:08 +0000 UTCThe thing about these "lounghelds" is that they're also easily replaceable, I bought a steam deck at launch and ended up mostly using it for vacations, but as soon as I got a laptop I pretty much never used it again and just sold it. Laptops are just way more powerful and can do a lot more. (I also couldn't tell you the last time I played on my switch in handheld mode, or the switch, period.) Now handhelds? Always got one with me, they're great lol. It's nice to see the retro handhelds blow up, I've known about them for quite a while and they're fun, though personally I've shifted towards real hardware with flashcarts, It's nice to find a good deal and own all of these cool consoles. Seems like you already know about Retro Game Corps, they should be able to teach you everything you need to know about that Anbernic GBA, hope your kid has fun with it. My niece also really likes my 3DS, I was trying to get one for her but the prices for them have skyrocketed, hmm I wonder why... Enjoyed your content as usual, keep it up Mark.
holy
2025-03-03 14:45:52 +0000 UTCThat s awesome! I have a really cool idea for the rabi vid that I think everyone will enjoy, because I m gonna relate it to a really relevant topic :-) also I did see that vid's title just because the alg is recommending it to me like crazy ha. And yeah that would be cool if it is influenced by my critique, it is possible as my stellar blade vid has become pretty popular :-) glad you enjoyed the bonus content, I'm digging this new format
The Electric Underground
2025-03-01 22:29:08 +0000 UTCWhat s interesting about that trooper is that I think is how it was initially suspected it would be, but now with kids and how predatory mobile gaming is, I don't think that s fully the case. Our gen don't want our kids playing on mobile or having access to them at a young age, which opens the space for handhelds aimed at kids right back up. I think I m a bit ahead of the curve on this, but I think we will see a return to gaming devices for children being more a dedicated product, because of the protection aspect and just fatigue with phones
The Electric Underground
2025-03-01 22:25:52 +0000 UTCOh that's really interesting! Yeah if your coming from PC gaming, the switch is gonna be a closer transition point since it s a loungeheld and aiming to replicate more of a console experience. I ve played a ton of my switch as a handheld, but mostly in a comfortable setting rather than actually traveling or out and about, that's where the 3ds and vita are king. I think those two are the apex of handheld design and I d say it s a tough match because the vita has an insane Library being able to play PS1 and PSP fully, as well as it's emulators. But then the 3ds also has an insane Library too, so it s a real toss up. The vita d pad is the best of all time though, so I give it an edge because of how good it feels to play
The Electric Underground
2025-03-01 22:22:34 +0000 UTCLol no kidding! I can just imagine how long my og switch will survive a day of play with my sons, that thing will be cracked and missing a joycon ha
The Electric Underground
2025-03-01 22:17:28 +0000 UTCExactly my dude! Yeah the ambernic d pad is a huge bummer (it's not a true pad, it's buttons like switch) but it s hardware performance is really solid. It s almost a better raspberry pi than a pure handheld ha. Also a lightweight steam OS is gonna be such a beast, I really hope we get that soon.
The Electric Underground
2025-03-01 22:16:05 +0000 UTCYeah I have mixed feelings about the switch 2. On one hand if it improves the lag issues of the og switch that will be fantastic. On the other hand, since the deck is becoming such a beast it seems less of a must buy for me personally as the switch 1 was at launch. Overall I think it s gonna be a solid loungeheld, but not as creative and exciting as something like the 3ds. I think I m just gonna have to buy myself a switch XL again after giving mine to my son ha! Also the vita is another fantastic option. I need to throw a big sd card in mine and let it start cooking again.
The Electric Underground
2025-03-01 22:13:39 +0000 UTCExactly my dude! I think because of the popularity of the switch we ve totally forgotten how distinct and awesome the handheld market used to be. Whereas now because the switch is a loungeheld it s games are held up to a console standard. It's like ketsui for the DS vs DOJ for switch. The switch version of DOJ is just a nerfed version of the PS4 port, whereas ketsui ds is completely inside and really cool.
The Electric Underground
2025-03-01 19:55:09 +0000 UTCThat s great insight!! Yeah I might make them available to the other patreon tiers, but with a delay. That could be a cool way to handle it.
The Electric Underground
2025-03-01 19:47:58 +0000 UTCGlad the vid was timely for you! Yeah the rise of the lounge held has left a massive gap where the traditional handheld used to fill. I wonder if bigger devs notice this gap (they probably do) but feel it's too niche to be worth their time and investment, and so now we have this booming bootleg economy for them. These devices are pretty cool, but I wish there was a way for indie devs to take advantage of them somehow in a smooth way. A steam handheld would be such a great fit. I d have to think all the advances in the deck must be making this more feasible I hope!
The Electric Underground
2025-03-01 19:46:19 +0000 UTCdude this is also a super timely topic because I’ve been getting into these recent retro handhelds that have been coming out. honestly there are a lot of really sick ones coming out lately, like from anbernic or retroid. i have a deck and a gaming PC, but these can fit in my pocket which is sick… usually they run linux or android, and as an iOS user the android ones have me seriously considering selling my iphone to get an uber powerful android phone what with all the shit you can do with it… kind of went off track there but to conclude… the world of handhelds isn’t being kept alive by the big corpos anymore but there is absolutely demand for them and they’re coming back in a big way from smaller companies. they’re real handhelds too, not handheld PCs or loungehelds. Sorry if you discuss this later in the video or something, i stopped at 12:17 to type this lol. also maybe im crazy but i absolutely play my deck everywhere… planes, trains and automobiles lol. but these handhelds ive gotten recently are even more convenient even if they can’t play ALL the games lol, even though my current pocket handheld can run up to switch comfortably EDIT: should’ve finished the video 😂
Florida sucks
2025-03-01 02:26:19 +0000 UTCi don’t mind, for example, you deciding to turn any of these gentry exclusive videos/ideas into something you could release to the public. ultimately I support you not because I want exclusive content, but because I genuinely want to see ideas like the ones you propose to see much wider circulation because I just think that would make a better world for all of us to live in. the exclusive stuff is just a nice bonus for me, and i am very much enjoying it :)
Florida sucks
2025-03-01 01:23:25 +0000 UTCGreat takes on the benefits of the true handhelds. I haven’t played Switch in portable mode more than a couple of hours out my maybe 600-700 hours spent with the console. But I owned almost all of the different old Nintendo handhelds models of the past. The video reminded me of a gaming era that I had almost forgotten while being drowned by games designed for stationary consoles and PC.
Fisken
2025-02-28 17:43:29 +0000 UTCI’m really excited for the switch 2. One thing that I really like about the switch that isn’t really available anywhere else at the moment is the instantaneous versatility of playing docked and handheld instantly. I always have issues with my steam deck while docking it, the controllers don’t sync sometimes and it can get super frustrating for no clear reason, it also depends on the game itself. On a separate note I totally agree with your points on it being fragile. I really miss the 3DS and DS being super durable and easy to carry and I’m sad that we probably will never get any device similar to this. I hope these retroid like devices can make something as small as the DS lite with a dual screen. I wonder if any of the game companies can maybe make a small handheld with strict data size limits in their store e.g 500mb or less to force developers to get creative. Xbox live arcade was cool for that( it was 150mb max I believe) but eventually caved in to remove the limit as publishers wanted digital versions of all their games.
AMH
2025-02-27 13:11:43 +0000 UTCNice, the Anbernic RG35XXSP model (Gameboy SP look-alike) that your child has is my daily driver and companion for 30 hour long flights. It could use some better battery life, dpad, and power, but the convenience and durability of clamshell definitely makes it a go-to handheld. Since Valve is releasing a public beta SteamOS, all they gotta do to support these devices would be to release a lightweight version of the SteamOS that checks specified hardware requirement of the games against the device spec and warn the user against download games that are too large, and make sure Retroarch work on it. Do that then they essentially have monopoly over the entire handheld emulator firmware market.
SanNevo
2025-02-26 13:34:45 +0000 UTCKid plays wearing Sega stripes in blue Nintendo console snaps in two Like blue is cool and red is rad Kid's father went from calm to mad
John Slaylies
2025-02-26 10:05:21 +0000 UTCI didn't play much handhelds growing up. I was obsessed with PC gaming (mostly FPS and SC1 "use map settings" games). My GBA SP saw the most play time, and I only remember maybe 5 games from it? I've played so much more of the Switch as a portable. I always have the flip grip, and I also carry a spare battery with a short USB-C cable when I travel. I get a lot of use out of it on my lunch breaks--everyone knows I'm training to 1CC arcade games, and that I haven't quite gotten one yet. A few will even play a fighting game or shmup with me, so the detachable controllers are really clutch for that. Anyway, the upsize of the Switch 2 is a let down for me. I think I'm finally understanding the appeal of handhelds now. I do like to lounge with them, but it sucks that I have to put the Switch in my fanny pack or backpack, and I don't think it will be a good fit for my daughter. So I'm gonna check out these emu portables! They seem like just what I want. Or maybe a modded Vita or 3DS (I missed every DS generation). And fingers crossed that some indie market pops for these new portables! If nothing else, indies could sell on itch.io, but really we need a Steamdeck mini! ❤️ Great episode and new format Mark!
Arcade Hell
2025-02-26 05:17:54 +0000 UTCUnfortunately the only true "successor" to handheld gaming is mobile phone gaming. Though funnily enough I'm seeing console-like phones like the Red Magic 10 being produced that have great specs for gaming on the go funnily enough. Do you perhaps think that handheld games that use classical game design will be on these gaming phones?
NCR Trooper Scout
2025-02-26 05:07:16 +0000 UTCOh nice, gentry content! Glad I picked today after being away for a few weeks after voting on the game I figured would never win (you have no idea how hyped I am to see the Rabi Ribi vid, whether you enjoy it or not, seeing that it won just made my week, though I feel a bit bad about how it seems a bit controversial and hope your other patreon homies don't have too much blowback over it). You're spoiling us, man. Also, dunno if you saw, but another big youtuber, 〚Mild Conviction〛picked up what you're puttin' down and made a video about the intrusion of parries into everything and lamenting the lack of traditional true action games these days. Nice to see your views and things you've been talking about for years starting to get more attention. You're blowin' up and it's been great to see over the last couple years.
AuEllai
2025-02-26 02:48:22 +0000 UTCWow, I have to say I feel lucky because I just joined the Gentry yesterday and then I get this dropped in my feed to enjoy today! Thanks, loved it! I binged so much of your content over the past weekend, I think this is such a great companion piece to both Nintendo Ended with Iwata and Handhelds Protected Metroidvania. I grew up on both console and portables but have always been obsessed with portables. There was always something to me so special about the freedom of playing anywhere, the difference/restrictions of the games, and how they sheltered or given second life to genres/games. So, I was super excited for the Switch at first, and I am still happy with mine, but I can only think of one time I used it portably and then a handful of times lounging around. It's honestly just a console at this point to me, that I know is portable. I 100% with your terminology for the Switch and the Steamdeck being a Lougeheld. I've had this conversation with my brother several times over the last few years were we both mourn the loss of true dedicated handhelds. I think my favorite handheld ends up being the DS/DS lite, with the 3DS coming in close behind it. There is something magical about that second screen to me, I miss it so much! I would really like to see a return for Nintendo (or a start for Steam) to make a true handheld but am not holding my breath. I would settle for hearing about if are successful in finding one of those emulation handhelds that run SteamOS, let me/us (your community) know please.
BR0KEFACE
2025-02-25 23:21:11 +0000 UTCI feel exactly the same way Madcombaticus, if nintendo made a switch mini with a clampshell screen, an actually quality d pad, and low latency screen that could fit in the pocket and hold charge, i d be so much more excited for that than a switch 2 for the exact reasons you outline. Also a switch mini should dump the little thumb sticks and focus pretty much on digital controls but with the little slider things that the 3ds has just in case. That design was so strong it s a huge same they didn't integrate it into the switch in some way (I think they would have if iwata was around)
The Electric Underground
2025-02-25 20:09:15 +0000 UTCAwesome video, and I appreciate the attention given to the patreon variety. I also have an Anbernic GBA SP and it is a great little device but has some of the chinese bootleg feel you expect. A Deck Mini or something would probably be an insta-buy if they could make it vita sized or smaller. I already have a deck so to get a S2 would be trading all it's great customizability and infinite library for Nintendo exclusives which imo get less interesting every year. It may also have the PS5 problem where everything not AAA will still be available on the S1 anyway. All future arcade and indie releases will likely be available in both storefronts, making the investment when you already have a loungeheld (lol great name) feel unnecessary. I really feel for the indie devs who now have to compete with the entire history of gaming being at our fingertips.
MadCombaticus
2025-02-25 19:30:10 +0000 UTCYeah I was the same way. I always had a handheld on me to play and lifetime probably have nearly as much time on handhelds than I do consoles. I bet they were very formative in my appreciation of classic design now that I think about it. :-) also the demand for a new proper handheld is insanely powerful, you should see how powerful and far reaching this emulator handheld market has become. Even normies (especially parents) are interested in them despite the emulation stuff being still kind of hard to figure out
The Electric Underground
2025-02-25 18:05:08 +0000 UTCI m glad you really liked it! Yeah if this format is successful maybe I'll have to figure out a way to incorporate it to the other patreon tiers, like delaying it being available to them till later in the year or something? Members of the gentry let me know what you think! Also glad you enjoyed it! It is a really interesting topic that I think will come up properly when I review the switch 2
The Electric Underground
2025-02-25 18:01:27 +0000 UTCToday, I really feel bad for the Illuminati and the homies lol I dropped everything to watch this, it was awesome! While I don't care too much about portability and all that, I definitely mourn handheld games. The prognosis that Switch 2 will further hurt the AA and indie economy makes a lot of sense, but that hurts to think about :(
Steve-Fiction
2025-02-25 16:07:44 +0000 UTC“The Death of the Handheld” makes me sad. I still carry around a Gameboy variant, PSP, Vita or 3DS in my daypack on most days. I played Sagaia on my Gameboy Pocket during the work commute this morning. I refuse to let these consoles die lol I remember Sony insisting portable consoles obsolete due to the rise of mobile phone gaming, around the time they announced the end of Vita support. I think that was a terrible decision. I absolutely believe there is a demand for dedicated portable gaming consoles. I hope Nintendo, Sony or someone else’s brings them back.
RipTheJacker
2025-02-25 15:41:09 +0000 UTC
