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There’s no doubt that handheld consoles once had a bad reputation and were commonly thought of as lesser than their home console counterparts. However, in the past two generations, the Steam Deck and Switch have brought the spotlight to the handheld market, proving that even these small machines can deliver high-quality AAA experiences.
Even Microsoft now wants a piece of that pie as it’s currently experimenting with Xbox handheld prototypes. However, while a reveal still looks to be years away, an Xbox console in the handheld space might finally pay Microsoft’s strategy of forcing developers to adapt their games for Series S, which ultimately even pushed awayBlack Myth Wukong.
Xbox Handheld Might Benefit From Microsoft’s Series S Policy
Hints at an Xbox handheld console have been floatingaround for a long while; they first showed up after a 2023 leak, and industry insiders have said that prototypes have been in the works since March 2024. Concept arts of chrome-plated and bulky modular pieces has been shown online, but it seems pointless speculation up until now.
While chatting withBloomberg, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer revealed Xbox is working on handheld consoles. The official said that he had demanded his team to craft not just a handheld but also a complete vision of how Xbox could stand up in the handheld gaming market. While Microsoft continues to prototype on this front, the first Xbox handheld won’t hit the market in the near future.
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It’s highly likely that the handheld won’t be a part of the next generation of consoles, which Microsoft expects to start off in 2025, having said as much in some legal hearingsrelated to its Activision-Blizzard acquisition.
It’s still not known what the console and its hardware could look like. However, if the Xbox handheld console comes with a power that matches the capabilities of the Series S, it would truly be groundbreaking. Obviously, it would bring the console’s quality gaming on the go, giving players the power of a home console and the convenience of portability.
Spencer and his team have already set a precedent by forcing Series S compatibility for gaming developers. While most developers have brought their games to the console, a few in the space, such as Game Science, outright ignored the console becauseBlack Myth Wukongsimply struggled to run on the hardware.
Even though we might not see all our favorite AAA titles on the Xbox handheld, most developers wouldn’t find it hard to optimize them as they’re well-adjusted to Series S’ hardware and ecosystem.
Microsoft is Open to Even More Acquisitions in the Gaming Sphere
You’ll be shocked to know that the Activision-Blizzard acquisition cost Microsoft a total of $75.4 billion.It was the largest gaming acquisition everand the biggest deal of its type in the entire industry. However, the tech-giant isn’t done yet.
In the same interview, Spencer stated that Microsoft has full intentions of being in the market for more acquisitions. According to him, all potential future acquisitions would depend upon finding“teams and technology” that are capable of allowing Microsoft to do what it is trying in the gaming landscape.
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Microsoft isn’t planning to make any sudden moves right now, and Spencer suggests that mega deals comparable to the Activision Blizzard acquisition won’t happen for a good while. That’s because the company is still integrating its latest acquisition withXboxand other services.
Microsoft’s efforts to integrate its latest purchases have resulted in massive layoffs over the course of 2024. The company is also looking to diversify its game-making operations by getting involved with China. Spencer also opened up about the potential of collaborating with Chinese Studios.
With that said, are you excited about an Xbox handheld? Let us know in the comments below.
Dhruv Bhatnagar
Articles Published :1195
With over 4 years of experience in content writing and more than 1,000 articles published for FandomWire, Dhruv is a seasoned writer when it comes to the gaming space. He’s deeply passionate about titles such as GTA Online, Forza Horizon, and Pokémon Go, committed to bringing readers deep dives and latest updates.
