Xbox handheld photos leak, showing off Asus-made Project Kennan

Photos of the upcoming Xbox-branded handheld made by Asus have been spilled online.

The images show two versions of the Asus ROG Ally 2, with a a regular white-coloured version as well as a black-coloured variant that includes a dedicated Xbox button.

As spotted by Videocardz, this leak comes direct from the US FCC’s official certification of the hardware, and appears to be our first look at Microsoft and Asus’ “Project Kennan” handheld plans.

Microsoft is set to officially reveal Project Kennan in the coming months – the company’s annual June showcase seems a fair bet – and detail more about the system.

It remains to be seen how powerful the hardware’s technical specs are, and to what extent it will be able to play the full Xbox back catalogue.

On the surface, however, the device looks somewhat similar to the Steam Deck and other existing handheld PC hardware. Analogue sticks sit at either side of a screen, with a D-pad on one side and ABXY face buttons on the other. The black-coloured model’s small Xbox button can be seen on its upper left side.

Windows Central reports that the device is now being tested openly at Microsoft’s US headquarters, ahead of its public unveiling.

But with Xbox prices going up worldwide, the big question is – how much will Project Kennan eventually cost?

Digital Foundry discussed Project Kennan’s prospects in the team’s recent DF Weekly podcast, embedded above. Microsoft also has its own official Xbox handheld in the works, though its launch is believed to still be years away.