Xbox handheld console confirmed by Phil Spencer

A Xbox A new handheld gaming console is in the works, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has revealed. But Xbox fans shouldn't expect to see it any time soon.

Rumors about Microsoft making a portable gaming device have been circulating online for years, usually in waves. Several such claims emerged throughout 2024, many of which were made by Microsoft insider Jez Corden, who repeatedly insisted that an Xbox handheld console was in the works.

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Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, has now confirmed that this is indeed the case. Speaking to Bloomberg, the executive admitted that fans expect the company to “do something” in the portable gaming space. Microsoft has already been thinking about what that “something” might mean and is currently in the process of prototyping its first-ever handheld gaming system, Spencer said. The official also noted that he asked his team to develop not just a handheld, but a comprehensive vision for how Microsoft could compete in the portable gaming market.

The Xbox handheld console is still years away from release

And while Microsoft's efforts on this front continue, Spencer says the company's first handheld gaming console won't be coming to market any time soon. Instead, it's still a few years away from release. Back in early November 2024, Jez Corden reported that the very first Xbox handheld could still be revealed or at least teased sometime in 2025. Between this and Spencer's recently shared clarification, it appears that the mysterious device may not be part of the next generation of Xbox consoles, which Microsoft is expected to launch in 2028, after Microsoft made this clear in some legal filings related to its 2023 Legal dispute with the FTC over the Xbox consoles has now been completed Activision Blizzard takeover.

Confirmation that Microsoft will eventually enter the portable gaming market will come as no surprise to even the most attentive fans. Spencer has flirted with this idea in the past, to the point that he personally fueled some rumors about an Xbox handheld console in early 2024. The manager now told Bloomberg that he loves the idea of ​​Microsoft building new devices in the long term. “I think our team could do some really innovative work, but we want to be informed by learning and what's happening now,” he explained.

Microsoft wants to improve the Xbox app before releasing a handheld console

To that end, Microsoft currently intends to focus on improving the Xbox app experience on existing handhelds before launching its own portable console. Spencer described the current version of the app as “more good than great for some of these gadgets” and noted that Microsoft will look to improve it and learn from it and then incorporate that knowledge into the design of its upcoming Xbox handheld console .

Xbox Series X Digital

The Xbox Series X Digital is the best way yet to play Microsoft's extensive collection of Game Pass titles. Finished in striking robotic white, Microsoft's flagship console features the same 4K gaming capabilities and supports 120fps gameplay. The digital Xbox Series With the console, buyers get the versatile Xbox Wireless Controller with a dedicated share button to showcase gameplay achievements.

4K capabilities

60fps, 120fps

brand

Microsoft

storage

1TB custom NVME SSD

CPU

8X cores at 3.8GHz (3.6GHz with SMT) Custom Zen 2 CPU

Connectivity

802.11ac dual band, Ethernet 802.3 10/100/1000, HDMI 2.1 3x USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports

Dimensions

15.1 x 15.1 x 30.1 cm (5.94 x 5.94 x 11.85 inches)

Weight

9.8lbs (4.4kg)

Audio

Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, Dolby TrueHD with Atmos

R.A.M.

16GB GDDR6 with 320 bit wide bus

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