CES 2025 has seen the launch of new handheld gaming consoles, such as the Lenovo Legion Go S and the Acer Nitro Blaze 11. While there's no sign of Microsoft's rumoured gaming handheld, a senior executive dropped a hint of the company's plans to improve the user experience for Windows-based consoles that could arrive as early as this year.
The company upcoming improvements could see the traditional Windows desktop elements and take a backseat, in favour of an interface designed for use with controllers.
In an interaction with The Verge at CES, Microsoft VP (Xbox Gaming Devices & Ecosystem) Jason Ronald said that the company was looking to bring improvements that were developed for consoles to PCs and the handheld gaming sector.
He added that the Redmond-based company was looking to "combine" the Xbox and Windows experiences. Running Windows on a gaming handheld can be a frustrating experience “I would say it's bringing the best of Xbox and Windows together, because we have spent the last 20 years building a world-class operating system, but it's really locked to the console,” the executive told the publication.
We've reviewed a handful of Windows-based gaming handhelds at Gadgets 360, and one of the most common complaints we've had is related to the operating system.