Where is Microsoft’s handheld Xbox?
The Steam Deck has kick-started a wave of handhelds from some of the big names in PC gaming. Asus has its Windows-powered ROG Ally, Lenovo just announced its own Legion Go handheld PC, and Logitech released a cloud-focused handheld. AMD has been quietly arming an entire new wave of Steam Deck competitors, and that got me thinking: where’s Microsoft’s Xbox handheld?
Since the debut of the Xbox more than 20 years ago, fans have been clamoring for a portable version. During that time, Sony released the PlayStation Portable (PSP) and the PlayStation Vita, and it now plans to launch a $199.99 PlayStation Portal in November that will stream PS5 games. Microsoft has shown little interest in an Xbox handheld of its own, despite prototyping a seven-inch gaming tablet more than 10 years ago.
Instead, Microsoft has focused on a device-agnostic business model where Xbox players can stream games to phones, tablets, and other devices.
The cloud approach to Xbox allows Microsoft to market its Xbox Game Pass subscription to the millions, even billions, of potential iOS and Android customers. Mobile controllers are a popular companion here, turning a phone into an Xbox controller on the go even though the touch controls on Xbox Cloud Gaming are enough for many.
Cloud gaming on a phone isn’t a replacement for a true handheld, though. Phones are pretty terrible for cloud gaming, especially when someone’s trying to call you, there’s no Wi-Fi on a plane, or you get a notification in the middle of your game. Microsoft made its own Surface Duo better at handling cloud gaming, but there’s still room for improvement.
A dedicated cloud gaming handheld that can also run mobile games — like the Logitech G Cloud — is a good alternative that at
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