Phil Spencer, the CEO of Xbox, has officially announced that the company is in the early stages of developing a handheld device, a topic that has sparked considerable speculation for quite some time. However, he cautioned that it won’t be available anytime soon.
In a discussion with Bloomberg, Spencer shared that the device is currently in the prototyping phase. Even if they pushed ahead, it would likely take several years before a product launches.
“Long-term, I’m really excited about our potential to create new devices,” Spencer said during the interview. “I believe our team has the capability to innovate genuinely, but we want to learn from present trends and happenings first.”
The market for handheld gaming consoles and cloud streaming devices has experienced significant growth in recent years. Currently, the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck are leading the charge, but many competitors have emerged, including the Logitech G Cloud and Asus ROG Ally. Meanwhile, Sony’s PlayStation has also entered the fray with the PlayStation Portal, a handheld that enables remote game streaming from the PlayStation 5.
Microsoft has been hinting at the potential for a handheld gaming device for a while now, with Spencer himself stoking anticipation. Previously, he expressed to IGN that Xbox is actively looking to diversify its hardware offerings.
“The future in terms of hardware for us is very bright. The team’s work on different form factors and gaming experiences is something I’m truly excited about,” he stated.
Despite this excitement, a recent leak related to an FTC trial revealed Xbox’s roadmap through 2030, indicating that a dedicated handheld device was not prioritized in their first-party plans.
In September, Xbox vice president Sarah Bond shared her vision for reaching gamers on any platform. With Xbox Game Pass expanding to various devices, including support for streaming games on Amazon Fire TV, she emphasized accessibility.
“I want to ensure that anyone can approach Xbox and find a game that suits them,” she remarked.
Spencer also expressed interest in pursuing acquisitions to gain entry into new markets, particularly in Asia and mobile gaming. With the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which brought King, the creators of Candy Crush Saga, into the fold, Microsoft has already made strides in the mobile sector.
“Our goal is to establish a strong presence in the market. Whenever we identify teams and technologies that can enhance our gaming approach at Microsoft, we will certainly consider them,” he stated.
