Jez Corden, host of the Xbox Two podcast, hints at Xbox's move into the handheld gaming market.
Jez Corden of the Xbox Two podcast hints at the possibility of Xbox developing a new native handheld console, with prototypes currently in the works. Corden emphasizes that this would be a fully native Xbox handheld that does not rely on cloud technology.
The Move To Handheld Would Not Be A Surprise
With the success of the Nintendo Switch and the recent emergence of handheld gaming devices like the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and PlayStation Portal, it seems logical for Xbox to eventually venture into this market. Some argue that expanding into handheld devices could be crucial for hardware growth as console sales stagnate.
While there's no clear timeline for the announcement of a new Xbox handheld, rumors suggest that Xbox's next-gen consoles could include a dockable handheld similar to the Switch.
Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, has previously hinted at Xbox's upcoming, unique and powerful next-gen console. Sarah Bond, the newly appointed Xbox President, also hinted at exciting hardware releases for the holiday season and emphasized the company's commitment to pushing the boundaries of technical innovation for both gamers and creators.
Spencer is very enthusiastic about an Xbox handheld, as he revealed to Polygon during GDC. According to the Xbox test, internal teams are already looking at “different hardware form factors and things that they could go do” to make a fitting handheld version of an Xbox.