A Steam Deck Rival That Supports Crypto Games

The SuiPlay0X1 is a crypto-fueled handheld console set to ship this summer, attempting to rival the Steam Deck by supporting not only traditional PC games but also blockchain experiences.

At Token2049 in Dubai, we got our hands on the portable console for a brief preview of the soon-to-launch device. Purely as a gaming device, it appears solidly crafted with great specs and an impressive screen—but where it really sets itself apart is, of course, by using crypto.

When you first pick up the device, the display quality immediately jumps out. While OLED panels have become the premium pick for many handheld devices, this 7-inch LCD panel shines, with the bold, no-bezel touchscreen showing excellent color accuracy.

While playing Elden Ring for a short period of time, the SuiPlay0X1 did not struggle to solidly hold 30 frames per second, and felt smooth without needing to sacrifice on graphics. Due to its capacity to play the game at high graphical settings, the screen’s performance really popped with notably vibrant colors and good black levels—experiencing little-to-no backlight bleed.

This smoothness is possible due to its impressive specs, packing an AMD Ryzen 7 7840U CPU, AMD Ryzen 780M graphics card, and 512GB of SSD storage. 

The SuiPlay0X1 is touted as a high-end handheld PC at a price point of $599, although pre-orders for the device are sold out. That’s why some may be disappointed by the LCD screen, especially considering that at a lower price point the Steam Deck offers an OLED.

But Adeniyi Abiodun, co-founder and CPO of Mysten Labs, co-creators of the SuiPlay0x1 alongside Playtron, told Decrypt that it is “one of the highest-end LCD screens that you can get.” And as noted, it certainly looked sharp during our time with it.

That said, the device didn’t immediately feel as ergonomic as some rivals. With a mostly flat back, it’s easy to imagine it may cause your hand to cramp if gaming for an extended period of time—such as while traveling. This is especially noticeable when comparing it to the Steam Deck, which fills your hand more naturally. But we’ll need to spend more time with the SuiPlay0X1 to get a better sense of long-term impact.

The console has the range of controls that you should expect from a console like this with two joysticks, a d-pad, four triggers, and four PlayStation-style buttons—as well as some basic function buttons to take you back to the main menu, etc. For the most part, these felt like quality inputs, with the joysticks being a highlight due to their nice grip.

Its main selling point is the Linux-based Playtron operating system, which Abiodun claims can be downloaded on a computer, mobile phone, or other soon-to-be released devices. 

“We firmly believe that gaming needs a new operating system,” he told Decrypt. “The idea of being locked into one platform, one app, one console is not going to be forever, and people are calling for more open systems. This is the open system.”

As such, Mysten Labs has created the SuiPlay0X1 as a high-end representation of what the operating system is capable of. In fact, the company wants other developers to use the Playtron OS in their devices to compete with the SuiPlay0X1—either with better specs or ergonomics, or at a cheaper price point.

PlaytronOS is optimized to allow gamers to play titles from the Steam, Epic Games, and GOG stores, as well as games that utilize the Sui network. Abiodun believes this is a major differentiating factor, due to sector leader the Steam Deck requiring an awkward workaround to play non-Steam titles—not to mention Valve’s banning of crypto titles from the platform.

On launch day, the SuiPlay0X1 will natively support seven crypto games, including Xociety, Warped Universe, Panzerdogs, and ONE Fight Arena, all of which are Sui titles.

The device abstracts Sui crypto elements away from the user, only requiring a traditional Web2 login. Once logged on, Mysten Labs said, users are able to engage with crypto-centric games seamlessly via the SuiPlay0X1 Wallet that’s created on the backend. However, Decrypt did not get to playtest a crypto game or related features, due to connectivity issues at the event.

The SuiPlay0X1 Wallet is, as the name suggests, based on the Sui blockchain and is confirmed to support the SUI token as well as the recently announced Game Dollar stablecoin. However, Mysten Labs confirmed that games from other networks will also be available to play on the device, if they’re available in supported storefronts.

At its core, that crypto gaming functionality is its unique selling point. While there are handheld consoles that are optimized to play video games across the Steam and Epic Games Store, there has yet to be a device that nails crypto integrations and has the power for serious gaming.

Other crypto games like Avalanche shooter Off the Grid will be compatible thanks to the title being on the Epic Games Store, which has become a go-to app for crypto gaming. But something like the Ronin-based Axie Infinity, which isn’t on Epic Games, won’t be playable on the device from the outset.

The Solana Saga mobile phone can play Android games and a relatively small number of Solana-connected titles, but doesn’t have the specs to play powerful PC games. And simpler devices like the Game Boy-style BitBoy One and PSG1 are designed to play casual and retro games, lacking the power to hang with PC-level handhelds.

If the SuiPlay0X1’s crypto integrations are as seamless as promised and cross-chain compatibility is introduced, then the device may carve out its own lane in the industry. But will mainstream gamers take notice, especially during a lull in broader crypto gaming momentum? We’ll find out this summer when the SuiPlay0X1 starts to hit the market.

Edited by Andrew Hayward