I thought of an idea for a new handheld gaming system that I wanted to pass on. Combine a handheld device (similar to Open Pandora) with GOG.com, and create the ultimate DRM-Free handheld! I realize this concept would be a long shot, but you could conceivably play your PC games directly on a handheld build for PC users (keyboard and all).

There's a chance it could work ...perhaps ... in theory ... or maybe I just need some sleep.

If you're going to include a keyboard, just get a small laptop/netbook/tablet-laptop hybrid.
I use an ASUS T100 tab/laptop for most of my gog gaming and it works great. Plays almost all games that I want to, is portable and is only slightly more expensive than most portable systems and comes with full windows, so you can do a lot more with it.

I was thinking more pocket sized .. but a small laptop is a great idea!

I think he wanted something that he can put in to his pocket like Open Pandora that is the size of Nintendo DS. Asus T100 is a bit to big for that :)

That depends on the size of the pocket, no?

On that you are right :)

True. As good as it sounds in theory, I think a PC portable console that size would be a bit too small. The DS and PSP/Vita lines work well with the size because the games are optimised for the small screen and have limited buttons required.
PC games on the other hand generally make use of not only a much larger screen, but also a larger array of button/keyboard inputs, which would, I think, be hard to convert into such a small size.

With that being said, if something like this could be made well, I'd be all for it. :)
(but until then, small laptops are the way to go)

Afaik the OpenPandora's successor (Pyra) is modular and designed to exchange half of the motherboard later on in order to swap CPUs. If there'll be a module with an x86 processor in the future (which did get a thought at some point), you'll have what you want, with Linux of course but I'm playing most of my GoG games on Linux anyway because it's DRM free.

It depends. There are several pc games nicely playable on Open Pandora already. For example games like Planescape Torment, Homeworld, Warcraft Orcs & Humans, Theme Hospital, Quake II, Quake III. Check it out here!

I just don't see that there is big enough demand for something like that.

The more I think about it, the more I want a handheld for all PC games. GOG.com is the only place I buy my games, but it would be cool to have a handheld that connects all PC game users (GOG.com, Steam, The Humble Store, etc).

Well you do have Razer Edge at the moment that gives you that (Windows 8, Steam, Origin Launcher) but its quite expensive and totally sold out everywhere.

That actually looks pretty cool ... but in my opinion nothing beats the clamshell design.

I agree. At the moment the only thing going that way is the Dragonbox Pyra with its modular design as mentioned by Klumpen. The only thing that bothers me with that is very high price making it impossible to obtain cause of very limited production runs.

There is a Kickstarter project for a $9 computer, its an ARM with 512MB RAM and 4GB flash, and can be added to with modules. They have a handheld case, Gameboy styled, that will be available too, I think for $49 with the processor and screen.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1598272670/chip-the-worlds-first-9-computer

I put in a donation and should get my board in January. The project has caught a lot of steam and they have raised over $1 million now.

Thought it might be of interest to this topic. :)