Xbox Handheld: The Future of Portable Gaming?

The gaming world is abuzz with the latest rumors of an Xbox handheld console. Phil Spencer, Xbox boss, has been dropping hints about a handheld Xbox for some time now, and his latest comments make it clear that a handheld console is coming. The only question is when?

The future of gaming is in our hands

For some time now, Phil Spencer has been dropping little hints that a handheld Xbox is in development. And now he’s dropped a really big hint that also provides an insight into what Microsoft is thinking. The short version: don’t expect an Xbox equivalent of the PlayStation Portal but something more like the Steam Deck concept.

“The future for us in hardware is pretty awesome,” Spencer said. “The work that the team is doing around different form factors, different ways to play, I’m incredibly excited about.”

Phil Spencer, Xbox boss

Spencer was speaking on stage at the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase, where he was asked directly about the handheld rumors. He wouldn’t be drawn further on specifics apart from one big one: when asked if an Xbox handheld would be a Portal-style cloud player or something more like the Steam Deck, he said “I think being able to play games locally is really important.”

An Xbox Handheld Console is Clearly Coming

It’s increasingly clear that the question isn’t “is an Xbox handheld coming?” but “When is the Xbox handheld coming?” If anything, the surprise was that Microsoft didn’t announce it at the event. Microsoft court documents leaked late last year detailed some of the firm’s handheld plans, and instead of denying them Spencer said they were outdated.

Phil Spencer has spoken before about what he’d want from a handheld Xbox. Earlier this year he told Polygon that it needed to “feel like an Xbox” with all your games and saves. “I want to be able to boot into the Xbox app in a full screen, but in compact mode… I want it to feel like the dash of my Xbox when I turn on the television,” he said, but “on those devices.”

Gaming on the go has never been easier

The future of gaming is in our hands, and it’s exciting to think about the possibilities of an Xbox handheld console. With the rise of portable gaming, it’s clear that Microsoft is taking a step in the right direction. The question is, when can we expect to get our hands on this new console?