The Future of Portable Gaming: Why an Xbox Handheld is the Perfect Next Step for Microsoft
The time of the handheld is now. Portable gaming is the new battleground for game companies to hash it out, and there has never been a better time for an Xbox handheld to enter the fray. With the gargantuan success of the Switch, Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and an overwhelming slew of other handheld gaming PCs, we reckon it’s high time Microsoft threw its hat in the ring.
Xbox handheld gaming
Xbox is Still Ticking
Riding off the coattails of one of Xbox’s strongest-ever games showcases in recent memory, things have perked up a little for Microsoft’s gaming division. It’s a good thing too, as plenty of recent stumbles and mishaps have more than soured many fans’ outlook on the Xbox brand.
More recently, Xbox hasn’t had the best reception due to a slew of disappointing first-party releases, the rumored Game Pass price hike, and the tragic layoffs and closures of some of their most beloved game studios. A lot of pressure has mounted on Xbox’s shoulders, but with the recent rumors of an upcoming Xbox handheld on the horizon, I think the future is bright.
If the recent June 2024 Xbox Showcase is anything to go by, Xbox fans shouldn’t lose hope just yet. The prolific presentation contained a tantalizing smorgasbord of exciting upcoming titles. From finally seeing gameplay of the newly rebooted Fable and Perfect Dark, a mouth-watering glimpse at Doom: The Dark Ages, and a variety of cool-looking games just on the horizon, Xbox pulled it out of the bag.
Handheld is the Future
As someone who owns a Nintendo Switch and a Steam Deck, playing in handheld has become my most preferred way of playing video games. I’ve sunk hundreds (if not thousands – yikes) of hours into indies and roguelikes playing on the Switch and the Steam Deck. There’s even an argument to be made for playing bigger titles portably. It was the only way I was able to finally finish The Witcher 3 on the Switch. Heck, I would never have made it to Act 3 of Baldur’s Gate 3 if I hadn’t spent most of my time playing it on the Steam Deck.
Gaming on the go has become the norm
What I Want to See
So, what do I want to see from an Xbox handheld? First off, I’d like to see games run natively, and for it to not just be a streaming machine, a la the Portal. I want similar specs to the less powerful Xbox Series S if possible. Though it may not be viable now, we see this being possible in the not-so-distant future.
The best-case scenario would be that the Xbox handheld can run most games the next main console would run, with some caveats. I would be more than happy to simply stream the most demanding next-gen games to the handheld if need be. In this way, we can get the best of both worlds without having to hold back the next-gen system in a similar way the Series S has held back the Series X this generation.
Xbox handheld gaming could be the future
