Xbox boss Phil Spencer has confirmed that Microsoft really is working on a handheld gaming device, with prototypes already in the works, but believes that the actual product is still a few years away.
That’s according to a new report from Bloomberg, which spoke to Spencer yesterday, reporter Jason Schreier says. The Microsoft Gaming CEO says that the “expectation is that we would do something” in the handheld hardware area, but the company is still figuring out exactly what that looks like. Prototypes are being worked on, and Spencer has advised the team to observe the existing market and ultimately bring its vision to life based on what it learns from that. With all that in mind, the device itself is expected to be years away at this point.
The company’s focus for the time being is making the Xbox app a better experience on portable devices that already exist, as well as partnering with hardware creators to ensure the things they’re making work well with Xbox’s games, but Spencer still drops a tantalizing tease of what’s to come. “Longer term, I love us building devices,” Spencer told Bloomberg. “And I think our team could do some real innovative work, but we want to be informed by learning and what’s happening now.”
More concrete news on an Xbox handheld is certainly welcome, even if it’s not the most surprising thing in the world. Spencer previously hinted that he was excited about “the work that the team is doing around different form factors,” as well as “different ways to play” in a chat with IGN, which was no outright confirmation, but seemed like it could be a nod towards a handheld. Beyond that, Windows Central sources previously claimed that alongside a traditional next-gen Xbox Series X follow-up, Microsoft is also working on a handheld, said to be its “own take on the Steam Deck.”
Based on what Spencer just told Bloomberg about the team working out exactly where they want to go with their handheld venture, it sounds like the idea of it definitely being a Steam Deck-like might not necessarily be set in stone. Either way, though, something is happening, so hopefully, Xbox fans will be able to play their favorite games on the go or cozied up in bed before too long.