Microsoft's Next Move: A Handheld PC with Xbox DNA
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Microsoft has reignited interest in handheld gaming with new hints about a portable gaming device. While Xbox CEO Phil Spencer had already teased the possibility of a handheld Xbox in late 2024, stating that it was “years out,” fresh comments at CES 2025 suggest a different approach might be coming sooner than expected.
Speaking to The Verge after a CES roundtable titled “The Future of Gaming Handhelds,” Jason Ronald, Microsoft’s VP of Next Generation, revealed intriguing details about a potential handheld PC offering an Xbox-like experience. According to Ronald, this would not simply be a portable Xbox but rather a portable PC designed to combine the best features of Xbox and Windows.
Ronald explained the vision as a way to “bring the best of Xbox and Windows together,” emphasizing the company’s 20-year legacy of building consoles and their aim to adapt this expertise to portable devices. The focus appears to be on creating a more user-friendly version of Windows for small screens—an area where Microsoft has struggled in the past.
Historically, Microsoft hasn’t had much success with portable operating systems. From the clunky Windows Phone era to the disastrous tile-based design of Windows 7, the company’s attempts to optimize for portability have often compromised usability. However, with the recent surge in handheld PCs like Valve’s Steam Deck, Microsoft seems eager to enter the market with a device that seamlessly blends the Xbox experience into a Windows-based platform.
One of the biggest challenges will be adapting Windows to the handheld format. While the Xbox operating system is built on Windows, it’s heavily streamlined and lacks the complexity of traditional PC interfaces. Ronald acknowledged this, noting that Microsoft is working on “fundamental interaction models” to create a gaming-centric experience that feels native to a handheld device.
The concept isn’t entirely new. Microsoft has long promised to make Windows the go-to platform for gaming across devices, but its efforts have rarely gained traction. Each iteration of Windows has touted new gaming features that ultimately faded into obscurity. Yet, Windows remains the default operating system for PC gaming—often succeeding despite Microsoft’s attempts to optimize it for the task.
What sets this potential handheld apart is its emphasis on simplicity, inspired by Xbox’s user-friendly interface. This would eliminate the need for features like taskbars and cursor inputs, focusing instead on a clean, intuitive gaming experience.
While details remain scarce, Ronald hinted that more information would be revealed later in 2025. For now, the project sounds like a step toward a handheld PC that combines the strengths of Xbox and Windows. If successful, Microsoft could establish a foothold in the increasingly competitive handheld gaming market.
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