Microsoft’s Xbox chief, Phil Spencer, has been dropping hints astir a imaginable Xbox handheld for months now. Earlier this twelvemonth he said he was “a large instrumentality of handhelds,” aft liking posts connected X that mention nan anticipation of this caller hardware. Now, successful an question and reply pinch IGN Spencer says “I deliberation we should person a handheld, too.”
It’s nan biggest hint yet that Microsoft is moving connected an Xbox handheld, thing that’s been long-rumored. “The early for america successful hardware is beautiful awesome. The activity that nan squad is doing astir different shape factors and different ways to play, I’m incredibly excited about,” said Spencer. “Today was astir nan games... but we will person a clip to travel retired and talk much astir platform.”
Pressed connected whether an Xbox handheld would watercourse games aliases play them locally, Spencer dropped a further hint that Microsoft is looking astatine a existent handheld gaming instrumentality alternatively than thing for illustration nan PlayStation Portal. “I for illustration my ROG Ally, my Lenovo Legion Go, my Steam Deck. I deliberation being capable to play games locally is really important,” said Spencer.
Earlier this twelvemonth Spencer talked astir wanting a compact Xbox mode connected a handheld gaming PC. “I want to beryllium capable to footwear into nan Xbox app successful a afloat screen, but successful a compact mode,” said Spencer successful a Polygon interview. “Like I want it to consciousness for illustration nan dash of my Xbox erstwhile I move connected nan television. [Except I want it] connected those devices.”
I fishy what Microsoft is moving connected is an Xbox handheld that’s Windows-based, but that has nan expertise to tally Xbox games and nan afloat Xbox dashboard. On The Vergecast earlier this year, I discussed my perfect for an Xbox handheld. It would tally Windows astatine its halfway but ne'er expose this to you truthful it looks and feels for illustration an Xbox console, but if you want to tally Steam games aliases Xbox games, you can.
That would require Microsoft to propulsion disconnected merging Xbox and Windows together successful a measurement we haven’t seen before, but pinch the early of Xbox looking a batch for illustration a PC it feels much inevitable than ever.
Notepad by Tom Warren /
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