The Future of Xbox: Phil Spencer Talks Handheld Consoles

The Xbox Game Showcase 2024 has come and gone, and while we saw some exciting new titles and returning franchises, there was one thing that fans were eagerly waiting for: the rumored Xbox handheld console. In an interview with IGN, Phil Spencer, the Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Gaming, talked about the company’s current hardware position and whether we’ll see anything related to this device in the future.

“The future for us in hardware is pretty awesome. The work that the team is doing around different form factors, different ways to play, I’m incredibly excited about,” Spencer said. “Today was about the games… but we will have a time to come out and talk more about platform, and we can’t wait to bring it to you.”

Xbox Logo

When asked if this potential handheld console would run games locally like the Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck, or if it would use a cloud-based system, Spencer replied, “I think being able to play games locally is really important.” This answer is striking considering that part of Xbox’s strategy to be everywhere is its Xcloud cloud streaming technology.

What Does Phil Spencer Want from a Handheld Console?

Earlier this year, Spencer spoke about the big boom in handheld consoles that has come on the heels of the success of Steam Deck, with the Nintendo Switch as the main inspiration. He made things very clear at the time, mentioning that “I’ve got my list of things we should do.” On that list was “Forget the brand. More like: Are all my games there? Are all my games showing up with the save [files] I want? I want to be able to boot into the Xbox app full screen, but in a compact mode. And all my social [experiences] are there. Like I want it to feel like the dashboard of my Xbox when I turn on the TV. Except I want it on these devices.”

Phil Spencer

The Future of Xbox Handheld Consoles

While Spencer hasn’t made any official confirmation about an Xbox handheld device yet, his comments suggest that the company is seriously considering entering the handheld console market. With the success of the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck, it’s clear that there’s a demand for portable gaming devices. Whether Xbox can successfully enter this market remains to be seen, but one thing is certain - the future of Xbox handheld consoles is looking bright.

 Xbox Handheld Concept