Samsung Introduces Innovative Foldable Design to Enhance Gaming on the Go

The Mobile World Conference: Barcelona event kicked off this week, and amidst several new tech reveals from dozens of companies, one of Samsung’s divisions had an interesting concept for the potential future of portable game consoles. Essentially, Samsung envisions a scenario where bulky game consoles can be made more portable, using foldable-screen technology to fold them up and make them easier to carry around.

Samsung Display–a branch of the company that develops screen technology that other firms can purchase for their devices–showed off a Switch-like device at MWC: Barcelona (via CNET), demonstrating how a console could be made smaller by simply folding it in half. There are of course potential issues to watch out for that are common to foldable devices, as screens can only be folded so many times before they develop a signature crease, but the idea behind this concept design makes for a fascinating glimpse at what could be.

While current devices like the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and the upcoming Switch 2 don’t have a foldable screen, these companies could adopt this technology for future hardware. For now, it looks like the best way to carry around a portable games console will be to invest in a carrying case for it. The other alternative is to go retro, as older devices like the Game Boy, Nintendo DS, or the PlayDate are more pocket-friendly in design.

Modern smartphones are also capable gaming devices–Asus even sells one designed specifically for mobile gaming–and with a cradle device like a Backbone, it’s easy to make a session on one feel similar to a console experience.