Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has expressed interest in Xbox developing a handheld device that does local gaming.
During a post-Xbox Showcase interview with IGN, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer was asked about the ongoing rumors regarding an Xbox handheld being in development. In his response, Spencer said that he believes there should be an Xbox handheld.
According to Spencer, the future for Xbox in hardware is “pretty awesome”, and the work that the team is doing around different form factors and different ways to play is something that he’s excited about. He mentioned that today’s Xbox Showcase was about the games. In terms of hardware, he said that the company showed some of the work that its doing with its Gen 9 consoles, namely the Xbox Series S and the Xbox Series X, likely referring to the Digital-only version of the latter. According to him, there will be a different time to talk more about the platform. “We can’t wait to bring it to you guys”, he said.
Spencer was then asked whether a hypothetical Xbox gaming handheld PC device would be a dedicated piece of hardware that can be played offline like the Steam Deck or something that would need a Wi-Fi connection to stream games from. In response, Spencer stated that he’s very fond of his Rog Ally, his Lenovo Legion Go, and his Steam Deck, and he believes that local gaming for a hypothetical Xbox handheld is really important.
The existence of the Xbox gaming handheld was first hinted at by a number of insiders. Later, Microsoft sent out invitations via email to newsletter subscribers, asking them to take part in a survey to provide feedback on its gaming handheld devices, lending some additional credibility to the rumor. The survey aimed to gather information on various user preferences pertaining to native software installation, cloud gaming, usage patterns, form factor, and the impact of a handheld PC alongside other devices.
