What is Lenovo Legion Play?
Lenovo’s work on the Tencent START-powered Legion C700 has brought back into the spotlight the company’s previously developed Legion Play project. First appearing in 2021 on hidden pages of Lenovo’s website, the device attracted attention with its Nintendo Switch-like design and cloud gaming focus. Lenovo hasn’t officially announced the project, nor has it revealed a release date or price.
What is Lenovo Legion Play and What Was It Developed For?
Legion Play was Lenovo’s Android-based portable gaming device project. The primary goal was to stream games requiring high hardware power to players via the cloud, rather than running them directly on the device. Additionally, the Android operating system allowed for the local execution of mobile games and compatible applications.
The device featured analog sticks on either side of the screen, directional keys, ABXY buttons, and shoulder triggers. This aimed to create an integrated gaming experience, eliminating the need to connect separate controllers to phones. The specially designed Android interface was intended to provide faster access to games and cloud services. The game launcher used in the prototypes examined appeared to be similar to the interface developed by Tencent.
What were the specifications of the Lenovo Legion Play?
According to information prepared by Lenovo and later revealed prototypes, the Legion Play used a 7-inch screen with a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution. The device, which offered HDR10 support, featured front-facing stereo speakers, dual vibration motors, and a 7,000 mAh battery.
One of the prototypes examined in 2023 was found to have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor, 4 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of storage. This model, running Android 11, weighed approximately 436 grams. The device’s ability to transfer images to an external screen via USB Type-C was another feature that distinguished it from similar cloud gaming consoles. Although some earlier reports mentioned the Snapdragon 888 processor, the prototype examined in detail featured the Snapdragon 720G. This suggests that different hardware configurations may have been prepared during the development process.
Why Didn’t Legion Play Go on Sale?
Lenovo hasn’t made an official statement regarding why it canceled the Legion Play project. It’s believed the device was planned to be unveiled at the 2021 Mobile World Congress, but this plan was later shelved. Factors such as the cloud gaming market not being sufficiently developed at the time, the competitiveness of the hardware, or pricing may have contributed to the project’s cancellation.
Despite this, it appears Lenovo prepared prototypes that were quite close to production. A limited number of devices, codenamed “Zelda,” were unofficially offered for sale in China in 2023. While some prototypes reportedly changed hands for around $160, this wasn’t an official selling price set by Lenovo.
What’s the Difference Between Legion Play and Legion Go?
Legion Play and Legion Go are not the same device. Legion Play was a canceled project that used the Android operating system and primarily focused on cloud gaming. Lenovo Legion Go is a portable gaming PC that runs Windows-based games directly on AMD Ryzen Z1 series processors and was officially released in 2023.
Therefore, Legion Play should not be considered a Lenovo model available for purchase today. The device is significant as one of the company’s first forays into the portable gaming market and a precursor to later models like the Legion Go and Legion C700. Lenovo’s return to cloud gaming with the Legion C700 shows that the Legion Play concept, which was canceled years ago, has not been completely abandoned.
