Microsoft Gaming boss Phil Spencer has confirmed the corporate’s plan to launch an Xbox handheld, however careworn it’s years away from launch.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Spencer mentioned the “expectation is that we’d do one thing” within the handheld sport gadgets class, however such a tool is just a few years out.
Microsoft, Spencer mentioned, is presently engaged on prototypes and contemplating what it would do, with its workforce growing its imaginative and prescient for a handheld primarily based on what it learns from trying on the market.
In the shorter time period, Microsoft will give attention to bettering the Xbox app so it really works higher on present handheld gaming gadgets, Spencer added. “Longer time period, I really like us constructing gadgets,” Spencer mentioned. “And I feel our workforce might do some actual progressive work, however we wish to learn by studying and what’s occurring now.”
Spencer has made no secret of his need to enter the hand held console market with Xbox {hardware}, and virtually confirmed the plan to IGN again in June following the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase.
“The future for us in {hardware} is fairly superior,” Spencer mentioned on the time. “The work that the workforce is doing round completely different kind elements, other ways to play, I’m extremely enthusiastic about.
“Today was concerning the video games… however we may have a time to come back out and speak extra about platform, and we won’t wait to carry it to you.”
When requested if a hypothetical Xbox handheld can be a devoted gaming platform the place you may play video games regionally (like a Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch), or a cloud-based handheld, Spencer responded: “I feel having the ability to play video games regionally is actually essential.”
In an interview with Polygon in March, Spencer listed varied options that may make a handheld console “really feel like an Xbox,” together with gaining access to all of your video games with related save recordsdata: “What ought to we construct that can discover new gamers?” he mentioned on the time. “That will permit folks to play at occasions once they couldn’t go play [in the past]?”
Rumors have been fueled by the trove of leaked Microsoft paperwork final fall, which revealed plans for an Xbox handheld. Spencer, nevertheless, would later come out to say these plans have been outdated.
Xbox had hinted at new {hardware} within the near-ish future, with Microsoft saying a multi-year roadmap in February that features a next-generation Xbox console.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
