Xbox boss Phil Spencer recently did an interview heavily hinting at a potential Xbox handheld being in the works.
Rumours have been spreading like wildfire that Microsoft will release a real Xbox handheld in the near future. Xbox head Phil Spencer recently did a new interview explaining how handhelds have been adapting and thriving in the gaming industry. Through all of his explanations of what makes handhelds great, it seemed like he was explaining how he would build an Xbox handheld.
Spencer spoke with Polygon, discussing existing PC gaming handhelds and listing everything that he would add to the experience of using them to make them “feel like an Xbox.” Specifically, he noted how an Xbox handheld would have access to all of the players’ games with associated save files, be able to boot into the Xbox app full-screen but in a compact mode, and have all the social experiences normally found on Xbox.
“Like I want it to feel like the dash of my Xbox when I turn on the television,” Spencer said. “[Except I want it] on those devices.” Spencer supposedly kept skirting around the existence of an Xbox handheld throughout the interview. He explained how hardware innovation linked with software innovation created “real inflection points in our industry”, pointing to the success of the Nintendo Wii in the process.
Spencer went as far as to confirm the Xbox hardware team is considering “different hardware form factors and things that [they] could go do.” “What should we build that will find new players that will allow people to play at times when they couldn’t go play [in the past]?” He pondered as many of us yelled, ‘That’s awfully sounding like an Xbox handheld!’
Last year, leaked court documents revealed plans to create an Xbox handheld, although Spencer himself came out to say the plans were outdated. In February, Microsoft announced a multi-year roadmap that included a next-generation Xbox in the future, despite the company’s plan to go multi-platform with some of its games. At the latest preview, Xbox President Sarah Bond teased “some exciting stuff coming out in hardware” that Microsoft plans to share this holiday. Also, Microsoft confirmed they will be hosting an Xbox Showcase event for June 2024.
Everything seems to be pointing to a new Xbox hardware announcement, most likely an Xbox handheld. For Spencer to talk about the evolution and advantages of handhelds is practically a major tease. Xbox has never released a handheld before, so this would be a natural progression or innovation they have not tried before. Their competitors at Sony had the PlayStation Portable (PSP), which sadly died out. But it had its moments! While nothing is confirmed, hopefully, there could be an announcement at the next showcase.
