Summary
There have long been rumours andleaksabout 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.
Speaking toBloomberg, 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 thatwe 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 thatSkyrimwas now playable on the go. Obviously, that’s less true today as games have grown more demanding, butwith 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 a similar approach with a purely Cloud-based console, which certainly seems possible given that Spencer wants to push the Xbox app to work better on existing portable devices.
Unlike the PlayStation Portal, the Xbox app allows you to stream games without a console, hence the ‘play anywhere’ motto. You can attach a controller to your phone and boot upStarfieldif you want. A handheld Xbox could take that idea even further, or it could pivot away from Cloud and allow you to play games natively like the Steam Deck. Only time will tell.
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.
