Xbox Handheld Confirmed By Phil Spencer, But Don't Expect To Get Your Hands On It Anytime Soon

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The rumors are true: a handheld Xbox console is in the works, even if it's still a long way away. Hints at an Xbox handheld have been circulating for a while; they were first speculated on after a 2023 leak, and industry insiders have held that prototypes are in the works since March 2024. Cheesy "" of bulky, chrome-plated, impractically modular behemoths would occasionally show up online, but this all seemed like baseless speculation — until now, that is.

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer confirmed today in a interview that Xbox is currently experimenting with handheld prototypes. However, don't think a big reveal is imminent, or even that the next Xbox will be all handheld. Spencer was clear that Microsoft's current intentions are to experiment, and determine what's possible for an Xbox console in the handheld space. The final product is still likely to be years away at this point.

Handheld consoles once had a bad reputation, and were commonly considered the lesser counterparts of their home console contemporaries. But in the past two generations, the Switch and the Steam Deck have earned the handheld market good press, demonstrating that they can deliver high-quality, AAA experiences on par with the best home console titles, even with less processing power. It's easy to understand why Microsoft wants a piece of that pie, especially considering that the Switch is now the third-best-selling console in history per Nintendo's internal reporting.

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Players like Samantha J. Foster on X (formerly Twitter) made it clear that there's space in their lives for more handhelds — on one condition. Cloud gaming is all well and good, but many players want to be able to download games directly onto their handheld consoles, too. After all, internet connection isn't always guaranteed, especially when you're in transit, so any good