The last few years have seen a rise in the popularity of Android gaming handhelds, but until now, we've not seen much in the way of big-name cell phone brands entering the market. That could be about to change, though, with a new rumor suggesting that OnePlus is working on its own handheld gaming device, one that's specifically designed for playing FPS games.
This supposed leak is courtesy of Weibo tipster Digital Chat Station, who has a pretty good record covering Chinese brands. The leak doesn't directly name OnePlus, but the comments on the post and a concept image from OnePlus Club on X all point to the Android brand. Given that OnePlus is responsible for some of the best gaming phones to come out of China in recent years, it makes a lot of sense that it'd be the brand behind this rumored device.
While the post from Digital Chat Station doesn't provide many specs, it suggests this handheld won't look like the countless other Android options currently on the market. While most handheld consoles rely on face buttons and analog sticks, DCS suggests that this alternative is "specifically designed for FPS games," offering "multi-finger touch responsiveness" and "ultra-high refresh rates."
As we mentioned earlier, there's already a concept image doing the rounds online, courtesy of OnePlus Club. Personally, I'm not sure how convinced I am by the image, even if it rings true with DCS's description, but it might just be because it's weird to see a handheld with no face buttons at all.
Interestingly, this new rumor comes amid speculation that OnePlus might be planning on withdrawing from some global markets, including the US, India, and Europe. That means that, even if the OnePlus gaming handheld comes to fruition, we might not see it launch outside of China. With that in mind, we'll be keeping a close eye on the brand's social media channels and any further supposed leaks for updates surrounding this potentially game-changing handheld.