On Wednesday, Xbox head Phil Spencer confirmed Microsoft is working on Xbox handheld gaming prototypes, though such a device is “years out.”
Rumours of an Xbox handheld gaming device have circulated since the PlayStation Portable was released nearly 20 years ago. On Wednesday, Spencer appeared in a new interview with Bloomberg to discuss the future direction of Xbox, stopping just short of outright confirming that an Xbox handheld is in development.
Spencer said the “expectation is that we would do something” regarding an Xbox handheld. He explained that prototypes have been in development and that market research has been conducted on what the vision for an Xbox portable would look like, but no product will be seen for a few years.
Xbox’s current focus is on improving the Xbox app for existing portable devices and partnering with hardware developers to ensure specific hardware syncs with Xbox games seamlessly. This aligns with statements made by Xbox president Sarah Bond back in February, when she referred to Microsoft’s gaming strategy as “every screen is an Xbox,” while presenting a room of tablets running Xbox Game Pass with PalWorld on display.
This isn’t the first time this year the Xbox Head has spoken about a potential Xbox handheld, back in March in another interview (this time with Polygon) he spoke at length of what he would like to see when it comes to an official Xbox portable device.
When discussing the Lenovo Legion Go, Spencer said, “I want to be able to boot into the Xbox app in a full screen, but in a compact mode. And all of my social [experience] is there. I want it to feel like the dash of my Xbox when I turn on the television, but on those devices.” He also stated there is a “list of things” that make the device feel like “not an Xbox,” and any advancement toward a portable would be an answer to the question, “What should we build that will find new players?” he said in that March interview.
Aside from this latest interview, fans will have to wait for what Xbox has in store for fans regarding an Xbox handheld in the future.
