Xbox handheld development rumors might indeed be true as several insiders seem to be supporting the claims with Spencer himself dropping hints.
There’s a buzz in the Xbox community, suggesting Microsoft is gearing up for the next hardware cycle with plans to launch two consoles in 2026. According to the rumors, one of them could be an Xbox handheld variant, drawing comparisons to the Nintendo Switch, while the other might be a conventional console like the Series X. The original source of the information was Xbox community member Magg who mentioned these details on the Xbox News Cast podcast. Now, it seems like reliable insiders are supporting the rumors.
Tom Warren, a well-known figure in the gaming community and a journalist at The Verge, took to Twitter to express his thoughts. He stated that if Microsoft indeed pursues an Xbox handheld, his ideal scenario would involve it having the Xbox OS and UI, access to Xbox games, and compatibility with PC games running on Windows. Another industry insider, Tom Henderson, responded to Warren’s tweet with a smiley face “=)”, adding more weight to the speculation.
Not only this, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has also joined the teasing game, as evidenced by his social media activity. Spencer liked a tweet from Tom Warren, who shared an image of a ROG Ally featuring an Xbox Series UI. In a reply to a user’s comment about the challenges of Windows OS on a handheld device, Warren agreed and suggested that Microsoft needed to intervene, especially considering the efforts by Asus to enhance the Windows OS on their ROG Ally, and the tweet was liked by Spencer.
This isn’t the first time Phil Spencer has subtly acknowledged the potential for an Xbox handheld. Previously, he liked a tweet referring to a Windows Central article that discussed the inevitability of an Xbox handheld device.
All these incidents align with the latest rumors regarding Xbox’s development of a dockable handheld device that would resemble the Switch.
It’s crucial to note that while discussions around a handheld device are circulating, it doesn’t confirm the existence of an Xbox handheld. However, the success of gaming devices like the Switch and Steam Deck suggests that Microsoft and Sony are at least thinking about replicating Nintendo, even if partially.
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