Here’s a summary of the key points from the GRTV News segment “Microsoft presses pause on handheld Xbox” (Gamereactor UK):
Summary:
- Microsoft has paused its development of a dedicated handheld Xbox console.
- Instead, the company is reallocating resources to further optimize Windows 11 for gaming, especially for handheld gaming PCs.
- Many current handhelds (like those from Asus and others) already run Windows OS. Making Windows 11 more gaming-friendly benefits Microsoft and supports third-party hardware manufacturers.
- Microsoft’s shift is reportedly influenced by leaks/rumors that Asus plans to launch an “Xbox portable” device, speeding up competitive development in the category.
- According to Jez Corden of Windows Central, Microsoft’s goal is to ensure third-party gaming handhelds running Windows 11 work as seamlessly as possible.
- This pause does not mean Microsoft is abandoning handheld Xbox ambitions; the company still plans to research and develop its own technology for a future Xbox handheld.
- It was mentioned that Microsoft has noticed that SteamOS can make portable Windows devices run better, which is an incentive to focus on Windows 11’s gaming improvements.
- No layoffs are expected as a result of this strategic shift. Development of the next mainline Xbox console (successor to Series X) continues at full pace.
- The report speculates about the future: perhaps a future Xbox console could run Windows instead of a proprietary OS, giving access to all PC storefronts and peripherals, massively expanding its ecosystem.
Microsoft is hitting “pause” on an Xbox-made handheld and is pouring its resources into making Windows 11 the best possible OS for gaming handhelds—both for themselves and for third parties. The idea is that in the long run, a better gaming Windows benefits everyone, including future Xbox efforts.
Source: Gamereactor UK - GRTV News - Microsoft presses pause on handheld Xbox
Source: Gamereactor UK GRTV News - Microsoft presses pause on handheld Xbox
