An Xbox handheld is years away, but it sounds like it’s happening

Microsoft has confirmed it is working on a future Xbox-branded handheld console, but warners not to expect it any time soon.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Microsoft’s head of gaming Phil Spencer said the “expectation is that we would do something” when quizzed about the possibility of a native portable gaming machine. However, he also stressed that, should this device arrive, it won’t be for a few years yet.

In the meantime, the comments from Spencer are quite enlightening. He says Microsoft’s R&D teams have been told to “develop its vision based on what it learns” from market trends.He added: “Longer term, I love us building devices. And I think our team could do some real innovative work, but we want to be informed by learning and what’s happening now.”

Spencer has previously commended the work of companies like Valve and ASUS and what they have accomplished in the handheld market when asked what he’d like to see from an Xbox handheld.

And indeed, this is not the first time Microsoft has been rumoured to be eyeing an answer to the Nintendo Switch that would enable gamers to access titles from Game Pass Ultimate library over the cloud.

Microsoft is also planning to give gamers access to their own, purchased game libraries over the cloud. A report last month suggested that particular push could begin in this November.

This would be the last barrier to Xbox owners playing their games away from their home consoles.

A native model would be nice, but not strictly necessary

The kind of device Microsoft is pitching here already exists. You can use any phone with an Xbox controller or a controller cradle like the excellent options from Backbone. You can access Game Pass via the Xbox app on dedicated handheld devices like the Asus ROG Ally.

This is all a part of Microsoft’s Xbox Anywhere strategy that relies more on Game Pass subscription sales than console hardware purchases. However, for many gamers the experience won’t quite feel legit until the iconic Xbox logo is plastered on a piece of native hardware that’s tailored entirely to the Xbox gaming experience rather than simply being able to handle it.