Xbox handheld in the works but its release date is surprising

Xbox Series X console — Can the Xbox Series X be bottled into a handheld? (Microsoft)

Microsoft has confirmed prototypes are being developed for an Xbox handheld, as it seeks to rival the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck.

Over the past year, Microsoft has explicitly teased its next generation plans, as the Xbox Series X/S continues to lag behind its competitors.

While we’ve heard the company boldly proclaim its next console will see ‘the biggest technological leap ever in a generation’, there have also been several clear indications that it is pursuing the handheld market – from both Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer and Xbox president Sarah Bond.

Spencer has now confirmed Xbox is building prototypes for a handheld device, although it seems rumours of a 2026 release may be overly optimistic.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Spencer said the ‘expectation is that we would do something’ in the handheld gaming market, before confirming Microsoft is working on prototypes and considering how to market them.

According to the report, Spencer has asked his team to analyse the handheld market and ‘develop its vision based on what it learns’. Crucially, Spencer is noted as saying that any device is still a ‘few years out’.

While it’s unclear if this potential handheld will be the primary model for the next generation, it sounds like he’s simply waiting to see what Nintendo pulls out of its hat with its impending Switch successor.

Screenshot from the video game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, showing the character with his hat, jacket and whip. — Could it be a hybrid console like the Switch? (Nintendo)

In the same interview, Spencer said there are no ‘red lines’ when it comes to bringing Xbox games to other platforms. Xbox has doubled down on its multiplatform strategy over the past year, with its next major exclusive, Indiana Jones And The Great Circle, set to come to PlayStation 5 in 2025.

With Nintendo, Valve, and (with the PlayStation Portal) Sony all finding success in the handheld space, it’s no surprise Xbox is planning a move into the market. The big question, which applies to its next gen plans in general, is what exactly Xbox can offer that the others don’t.