Key Takeaways
- Phil Spencer has confirmed that Xbox is prototyping a handheld console.
- It’s still a few years out, so no other details have been shared. Whether it will be Cloud-based or run games natively, for instance, is unclear.
There have long been rumours and leaks about a portable Xbox console being in development, with Phil Spencer expressing interest in the idea as recently as June. But today, he finally confirmed that a handheld platform is in the works.
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Okay Xbox, Now’s The Time To Give Us Handheld Consoles
Play anywhere doesn’t mean anything if you can’t actually play anywhere
Speaking to Bloomberg, Spencer revealed that Microsoft is currently working on prototypes, looking at the emerging market to help foster its vision.
Given that it’s still in the early phases of development, the handheld is a few years away from releasing. Interestingly, that lines up with earlier reports that we wouldn’t see a portable Xbox console launch until next-gen.
Nintendo Switch Changed The Handheld Game
It’s hard to understate how much the Nintendo Switch changed the handheld market. The hybrid between portable and traditional gaming console was a major step up from the era of Game Boys and DS’, but what stood out most was its refusal to compromise.
The Switch can play the same version of games that other platforms can, with one of the biggest reveals durings its unveiling being that Skyrim was now playable on the go. Obviously, that’s less true today as games have grown more demanding, but with the Switch 2 on the horizon, we’ll no doubt see Nintendo keep up that philosophy.
Valve took this idea even further with a more powerful console in the Steam Deck, able to run an enormous chunk of the platform’s library out of the box in what is essentially a handheld gaming laptop. Other competitors have since emerged in this growing market, such as the ASUS ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and Ayaneo Kun.
Will Xbox Go The Way Of The PlayStation PortalOr Steam Deck?
PlayStation also dipped its toes back into the handheld market for the first time since the PS Vita with the Portal, although it’s not quite the same style of portable gaming as the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck.
Instead, it uses Remote Play to connect to your PS5, so games aren’t played natively, they’re streamed. Xbox could adopt this approach and have a Cloud-based console that runs off your existing Series X/S, but with its ‘play anywhere’ motto, a native handheld akin to the Steam Deck or Switch seems more likely.
However, as Spencer said, Microsoft is in the midst of studying the market, so only time will tell. Either way, handheld gaming is back in fashion, and it was only a matter of time before Xbox threw its hat in the ring.
Xbox Series X
Launched in 2020 in conjunction with the Xbox Series S digital-only console, the Series X is the disc version of Microsoft’s premier gaming platform.