Breakdown
- Phil Spencer may have teased the rumoured Xbox handheld
- Spencer discussed what he wants to see from a potential Xbox handheld
- The Xbox boss wants this handheld to focus on gaming and less on PC adjustments
Rumours of an Xbox handheld are heating up and Phil Spencer has only added gasoline to that fire with his recent comments. While the Xbox boss doesn’t confirm if we’re getting a new handheld, he does talk about what he wants to see from a potential Xbox handheld.
Speaking with Polygon, Spencer talked about how much he enjoys the current state of handheld PCs, admitting that they actually feel more like consoles than computers. However, he does point out how annoying it can be to set things up with the more Window-based systems, saying he would rather start playing immediately with the handheld.
“The things that usually frustrate me are more Windows-based than device-based. Which is an area I feel some ownership of. Like, I want to be able to log in with a controller. I’ve got my list of things we should go do,” Spencer said.
While Spencer doesn’t outright say if we’re getting a handheld Xbox or not, the Xbox boss says he wants it to feel like logging into an Xbox console. Only Microsoft and Spencer can make that happen, so we’re interested in seeing if these rumours actually go anywhere in the future.
“I want to be able to boot into the Xbox app in a full screen, but in a compact mode. And all of my social [experience] is there,” the Xbox boss commented. “Like I want it to feel like the dash of my Xbox when I turn on the television. [Except I want it] on those devices.”
At the time of writing, the only way to capture that Xbox experience on a handheld is through Windows-based systems like the Asus ROG Ally. That system can run Game Pass pretty well, though setting everything up can be a bit annoying to those who want to play right away. Valve’s Steam Deck can play Game Pass, but that will require even more tinkering that might annoy players.
Microsoft entering the handheld industry with a portable Xbox will be interesting, especially since Nintendo and Valve have a firm grasp on it. Despite being underpowered, the Nintendo Switch is still a best-selling system and many are excited for its eventual successor. Valve is also seeing great success with the Steam Deck, even releasing a grand revision in the Steam Deck OLED.