Xbox boss Phil Spencer has confirmed that Microsoft really is working on a handheld gaming device, with prototypes already in the works, but believes that the actual product is still a few years away.
That’s according to a new report from Bloomberg, which spoke to Spencer yesterday according to reporter Jason Schreier. The Microsoft Gaming CEO says that the “expectation is that we would do something” in the handheld hardware area, but the company is still figuring out exactly what that looks like. Prototypes are being worked on, and Spencer has advised the team to observe the existing market and ultimately bring its vision to life based on what it learns from that. With all that in mind, the device itself is expected to be years away at this point.
The company’s focus for the time being is making the Xbox app a better experience on portable devices that already exist, as well as partnering with hardware creators to ensure the things they’re making work well with Xbox’s games, but Spencer still drops a tantalizing tease of what’s to come. “Longer term, I love us building devices,” Spencer told Bloomberg. “And I think our team could do some real innovative work, but we want to be informed by learning and what’s happening now.”
More to follow…