Xbox chief teases new portable console – Phil Spencer almost confirms rumours Xbox handheld is in the works

RUMOURS of an Xbox handheld have been circling for quite some time now, and Xbox chief Phil Spencer has been hinting at one for months.

In an interview with IGN on Sunday, Spencer all but confirmed Microsoft’s plans to make a portable Xbox console.

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When asked specifically about it, in the context of Xbox’s strategy of “going where the players are”, he replied:

“I think we should have a handheld, too”, adding that the future for Xbox hardware was “pretty awesome”.

Spencer then went on to say that last night’s Xbox Games Showcase was all about the games, but the company will have time to come out and talk more about the Xbox platform.

“We can’t wait to bring it to you”, he said, hinting at upcoming announcements about new hardware and new ways to play within the Xbox ecosystem.

When asked again about what a hypothetical Xbox handheld would be like, he said “I think being able to play games locally is really important.”

His answer suggests that if we see a portable Xbox console, it would be more like a Steam Deck that could play games on its own, rather than a streaming device like PlayStation Portal.

Rumours about an Xbox handheld are nothing new, as Phil Spencer himself confirmed in 2017 that such a device had been “roughly designed” at Microsoft in the past.

Despite Phil Spencer’s latest comments, there is still nothing official about an Xbox handheld and no details about such a device’s features and specs.

Meanwhile, at last night’s Xbox Games Showcase, Microsoft unveiled three new Xbox Series X|S console models, offering more storage and a new white all-digital Series X.

If you’re looking for more on the new games revealed last night, check out our Xbox Games Showcase announcements recap.