Podcast
NPC: Next Portable Console
Hosted by Federico Viticci, John Voorhees, Brendon Bigley · EN
NPC is a podcast about one of the hottest corners of the gaming world: portable hardware. Every other week, Federico Viticci, John Voorhees, and Brendon Bigley cover portable gaming news and share their experiences with everything from the simplest retro gaming handhelds to cutting-edge handheld PCs.
36episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
SteamOS Comes to Android Handhelds
3d ago00:32:43Tap to summarizeThis week on NPC: Next Portable Console, Brendon and John go it alone with more bizarre news from AYANEO, a new tease and OS update from Anbernic, Valve's E-Ink Steam Machine faceplate, Armada brings SteamOS to Android handhelds, and more. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News AYANEO teases a GBA AYANEO CEO livestream teases second-half 2025 lineup but offers little new information Valve open-sources Steam Machine "Inkterface" e-ink faceplate for DIY builds Anbernic pushes major "RG Ecosystem" software update to entire T820 handheld lineup Anbernic RG 55G1 gameplay video hints at Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 with Turnip drivers and possible OLED EmuDeck for Android adds Rift Frontend launcher and gains Armada/SteamOS compatibility Armada TrimUI Brick Hammer Pro U Might Be Dead Before It Even Ships 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
Transcribe →PlayStation Pulls the Plug on Physical Discs
1w ago00:33:02Tap to summarizeThis week on Next Portable Console, Steam Machine ordering follow up and Sony's many controversial announcements. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News Follow Up Steam Machine launches today! - Steam Hardware YouTube on Game Boy Color - ThroatyMumbo/GBCYouTube Getting YouTube to Work on a Game Boy Color - Throaty Mumbo Watch YouTube On A Game Boy Color With A Special Cartridge (Hackaday) Delta iOS Gains Physical Cartridge Support Thanks To Epilogue GB Operator SN Operator Anbernic RG 55G1 is a Switch Lite Inspired Handheld Powered by the Snapdragon SoC (Yanko Design) Sony's Big Bad Week An update on PlayStation Store for PS3 and PS Vita Physical disc production ending in January 2028 for new games releasing on PlayStation consoles PlayStation Boss Teases New On-the-Go Console Experiences -Also: AYANEO Pocket Vert Review: Premium Meets Portable, With a Dash of Disappointment 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
Transcribe →Did You Put Your Email in the Bucket?
2w ago00:34:48Tap to summarizeThis week on Next Portable Console, Federico, Brendon, and John consider the Steam Machine's pricing and early reviews. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Steam Machine Steam Machine launches today! (Steam Hardware announcement) Valve prices the Steam Machine at $1,049 (The Verge) Steam Machine officially priced at $1,049 and $1,349 as Valve describes brutal RAM supply crisis The Steam Machine is the most ambitious game console I've ever played (The Verge) Even Valve is Disappointed – Steam Machine Review (Linus Tech Tips) Steam Machine Review: Valve's New Console/PC Hybrid (IGN) Steam Machine Review: Beautiful Hardware, But What About Performance... And Price? (Digital Foundry) Valve will finally let you build your own Steam Machine with SteamOS for desktop (The Verge) 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
Transcribe →TrimUI Goes Android
3w ago00:29:01Tap to summarizeThis week on Next Portable Console, nose-bleed prices, foldables get wise to handheld gaming, and new products are teased and released by a long list of companies. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes Follow Up SN Operator arriving across Europe and the U.S. Super expensive PS5 SSDs released The Latest Portable Gaming News MSI's new Claw gaming handheld starts at $1,699 Android foldables are getting new gamepad controls Belkin's new Joy-Con grips also boost the Switch 2's battery life Anbernic teases RG 55G1, its likely first Snapdragon-powered handheld Retroid Pocket 6 returns with 12GB RAM in a revised configuration with notable trade-offs ONEXPLAYER X2 Mini Pro launches on Indiegogo starting at $2,466 with AMD Strix Halo and detachable controllers AYANEO announces Pocket Micro 2, teasing it as a "Gen 2 Powerhouse" AYANEO Pocket Play hands-on reveals a large, camera-limited gaming phone that's China-only TrimUI reveals Brick Pro and Brick Hammer Pro U with pre-orders open for Brick Pro at $85–$99.99 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
Transcribe →From Gaming Handheld to Pocket Companion
Jun 900:31:48Tap to summarizeThis week on Next Portable Console, Brendon and Federico have spent more time with the Anbernic RG Rotate and along with John have more thoughts about it and the handheld news coming out of Computex. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes More RG Rotate Experiments Anbernic RG Rotate Apps We're Using Apple Music Musicolet Moon+ Reader Pro Amazon Kindle YouTube VLC Niagara Launcher Cocoon The Latest Portable Gaming News The Ally X Gets OLED and a Bigger Screen Asus just announced the OLED Xbox Ally X of my dreams Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 Bundle adds OLED display and AR glasses New Intel Chips for Handheld Gmaing Intel's first handheld gaming chip is the Arc G3, and this Acer is using it I held the next-gen handheld MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is an 8-inch handheld powered by Intel Arc G3 Extreme 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
Transcribe →The RG Rotate Is the Real Deal
Jun 200:44:18Tap to summarizeThis week on NPC, we update listeners on the SN Operator and consider what the Steam Deck price hike means for the handheld gaming industry before sharing our first impressions of Anbernic's RG Rotate. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News Epilogue SN Operator Wulff Den on YouTube Steam Deck OLED Price Increases The Golden Age of Handheld Gaming Is Already Over Anbernic RG Rotate Anbernic RG Rotate Emulation Front-Ends Cocoon EmulationStation DE (ES-DE) Knulli 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
Transcribe →Pictonico! Is WarioWare in Disguise
May 2600:33:49Tap to summarizeThis week on Next Portable Console, RG Rotate anticipation, a newish Powkiddy handheld, Pictonico and an MCON beta app, plus surprising Lenovo news. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News Taskmaster Anbernic RG Rotate Anbernic RG Rotate Powkiddy Royabilla Powkiddy Royabilla (P36S) Pictonico! Website Trailer Also mentioned: Face Raiders Super Mario Run (iOS) Fire Emblem Heroes (iOS) Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete (iOS) MCON Controller App MCON MCON iOS Beta Also mentioned: Backbone Dusklight Lenovo's Low-End Handheld Is Real and It Releases Bigger, Premium Android Tablets Lenovo Responds To That "Fake" Handheld - Yep, It's Official & Illegally Loaded With Games Lenovo launches Legion Y900 gaming tablets with 11 and 13 inch screens 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
Transcribe →The Steam Controller's Comfort and Compromises
May 1900:41:53Tap to summarizeThis week on NPC: Next Portable Console, Federico has hands-on first impressions of the Steam Controller, follow up on our RG Rotate purchases, Dusklight, CrankBoy, and more. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News Valve Steam Controller Steam Controller SteamOS Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 Bazzite Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller 8BitDo Ultimate 3-mode Controller Handheld and Controller Follow-Up ANBERNIC RG Rotate MOBAPAD M12 HD NYXI Hyperion 3 Dusklight Twilight Princess Port Dusklight Dusklight on GitHub AltStore AYN Odin 3 Lenovo G02 retro handheld Switch 2 Price Increase Notice Regarding Price Revisions for Nintendo Products and Services (Nintendo) Nintendo just announced a $500 Switch 2 bundle that includes a first-party game (Engadget) Crankboy for Playdate Playdate Crankboy Crankboy on GitHub 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
Transcribe →Is the Steam Machine Just Around the Corner?
May 1200:35:42Tap to summarizeThis 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
Transcribe →The Weirdly Wonderful RG Rotate
May 500:31:56Tap to summarizeThis 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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