Mibu no ookami
Banned
Less money on the line.
Microsoft is way further along than Sega ever was. The transition was never going to be easy.
Xbox's handheld 'Pembrooke' has been sidelined (for now), as Microsoft doubles down on Windows 11 PC gaming handheld optimization
Less money on the line.
Microsoft is way further along than Sega ever was. The transition was never going to be easy.
Are their Xbox Series consoles going to explode and stop working because MS worked to improve the Windows experience on PC handhelds?
Isn't this rumor in line with what you said MS should really be doing?
Little Chicken
Banned
People are carrying on about their mobile OS not being good enough in another thread, and when they double down on efforts to improve it, it's a bad thing, apparently.
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Clintizzle
Lord of Edge.
Little Chicken
Banned
Ponies have really poured the GaaS on it.
mayham2199
Member
That's because there were people who wanted a dedicated Xbox handheld that played all their games. Now they are getting a device that will simply have a better UI (maybe) instead of doing something no other handheld can do.
reinking
Gold Member
Little Chicken
Banned
Somehow that's something to celebrate?
GHG
Member
I said it's a missed opportunity on their part.
But instead of going toe to toe with Valve/Steam when the current era of PC gaming was just finding its feet, they were too busy trying to find ways to create friction and rip PC gamers off.
So as usual, they will be late to the party and fighting an uphill battle.
reinking
Gold Member
I was right at the time
thicc_girls_are_teh_best
Member
This is like getting benched before you even get off the starting line. Pretty embarrassing.
Given how much MS are focusing on pushing Xbox OS-style features into Windows environment, I won't be surprised if the 2027 Xbox handheld (which sounds like would still prioritize Xbox OS) gets quietly cancelled. Steam OS is dogwalking Windows right now in gaming performance anyway, so I guess MS have to choose priorities sooner vs. later, and they're choosing Windows.
Valve are so far ahead of MS on this "consolizing PC" thing it's not even funny. But that's because they've been gradually working towards it since 2004. Decades of experience, revolutionized (or at least streamlined) the PC gaming space in terms of storefronts & distribution, and they're working with a better kernel for their OS.
MS can still catch up in theory, but they'll have to seriously commit and try actually competing. No buying their way to relevancy on this one.
Don't worry, you'll still get your Xbox game access in some form...emulated...on Windows.
You'll still get some OEM devices with Xbox stickers slapped on them
Given how much MS are focusing on pushing Xbox OS-style features into Windows environment, I won't be surprised if the 2027 Xbox handheld (which sounds like would still prioritize Xbox OS) gets quietly cancelled. Steam OS is dogwalking Windows right now in gaming performance anyway, so I guess MS have to choose priorities sooner vs. later, and they're choosing Windows.
Valve are so far ahead of MS on this "consolizing PC" thing it's not even funny. But that's because they've been gradually working towards it since 2004. Decades of experience, revolutionized (or at least streamlined) the PC gaming space in terms of storefronts & distribution, and they're working with a better kernel for their OS.
MS can still catch up in theory, but they'll have to seriously commit and try actually competing. No buying their way to relevancy on this one.
Don't worry, you'll still get your Xbox game access in some form...emulated...on Windows.
You'll still get some OEM devices with Xbox stickers slapped on them
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ChorizoPicozo
Member
just making Windows a better OS will go along way. i just wonder how is it going to work when Ms is pushing AI so damn hard and a lot of demanding features as core elements of the windows experience
NomenNescio
Dual Sense Edger and Blower
What do people see in handhelds?. Small screen, shitty ergonomics, shitty performance. Why would you want portability when gaming? Absolute chit.
HeisenbergFX4
Member
mayham2199
Member
No I'm simply stating why some people think it's a bad thing. It's like if Sony announced they were making a dedicated handheld than ran off windows. Ok well that's useless to me I don't buy their games on PC and all their games aren't on PC yet. If they announced a dedicated handheld that played all your PS games that's something I would want.
I think they are great for some people always on the move with like trips and stuff like that. For me personally? I just don't have a use for them. When I leave my house 90% of the time I'm not going anywhere where I can just sit down and play games. I'm going out to do stuff. I don't travel for work thank god.
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Gamer_By_Proxy
Member
Xbox console digital library is cooked. Only a matter of time before they only support PC versions of their games.
thicc_girls_are_teh_best
Member
Why? The whole point of that rumored PS handheld is to give an option for markets & demographics that prefer a portable experience. As long as it doesn't hamstring what games can do with the PS6, it'll only be a net gain to the ecosystem.
It'll help them out in regions like Japan, and it can act as something with native local play of PS5 and (select) PS6 games (plus PS4, obviously) while having room still for another PS Portal (which would be cheaper, since it'd be streaming-only). The PS handheld just needs to be based on shared technological features with PS6, i.e next-gen PSSR, CPU & GPU architecture/instruction sets, SDK API support etc.
A very different situation from what Xbox is going through in terms of hardware.
Durin
Member
We'll see what they end up producing, but they should have been improving the gaming features and optimization in Windows years ago.
They already make a console with a stripped down version of Windows in Xbox, yet have ported none of the useful features over to PC (working with hardware makers) like a proper suspend state with Quick Resume, simple gamepad wake-up, and a more controller-friendly front-end UI. They already should have figured out a better version of their gaming mode that would de-bloat background resources while gaming (let users select apps to still get them like Discord or Spotify), and improve battery life for not just handhelds but tablet/laptop gaming.
At the pace of improvement in the Linux space, if Valve can solve the anti-cheat issue, and completely equalize (or eclipse) Windows DX12 gaming performance...I can see a future where Windows also bleeds userbase like Xbox.
They already make a console with a stripped down version of Windows in Xbox, yet have ported none of the useful features over to PC (working with hardware makers) like a proper suspend state with Quick Resume, simple gamepad wake-up, and a more controller-friendly front-end UI. They already should have figured out a better version of their gaming mode that would de-bloat background resources while gaming (let users select apps to still get them like Discord or Spotify), and improve battery life for not just handhelds but tablet/laptop gaming.
At the pace of improvement in the Linux space, if Valve can solve the anti-cheat issue, and completely equalize (or eclipse) Windows DX12 gaming performance...I can see a future where Windows also bleeds userbase like Xbox.
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PeteBull
Member
Controversial take but playstation or/and xbox handheld has actually room for growth in today's age, simply coz very weak competition- og switch is by now old af and very outdated, so its relatively ez to make handheldmashine that will dwarf its specs/capabilities, it has monstrous instalbase but ppl want something new and much stronger by now in 2025.
Switch2 is about to launch and obviously gonna sell gangbusters at the very least first 2-3 years(cant be sure how well its gonna do after that, but its gonna perform really good- thats most probable scenario)- so u can still somewhat compete against it currently if u are new playa on the block before it reaches crazy numbers of sold units in few years.
Steamdeck is old and very weak by now too, to put it in layman terms, its roughly as weak as playstation 1080p but steamdeck will be 720p 30fps- same thing here like with og switch specs wise- ez to make much more powerful competitor, just it doesnt even have big instalbase like switch does so u can basically call it close to irrelevant.
Switch2 is about to launch and obviously gonna sell gangbusters at the very least first 2-3 years(cant be sure how well its gonna do after that, but its gonna perform really good- thats most probable scenario)- so u can still somewhat compete against it currently if u are new playa on the block before it reaches crazy numbers of sold units in few years.
Steamdeck is old and very weak by now too, to put it in layman terms, its roughly as weak as playstation 1080p but steamdeck will be 720p 30fps- same thing here like with og switch specs wise- ez to make much more powerful competitor, just it doesnt even have big instalbase like switch does so u can basically call it close to irrelevant.
Gambit2483
Member
Freedom. You're not stuck to a TV or one single room. It's obviously a trade-off, but technology has reached the point where it's not like comparing the GBA to the PS anymore. Just look at Switch 2 for proof of how close it's gotten (with low wattage use)
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Don't want a handheld. Give me a proper set top box or a PC hybrid.
TheMule1983
Member
I really liked the Series X, but I hardly ever go back to old games.
I just wonder how they will spin no more hardware and watching the Xbox fanboys fall in line.
But the devices that would be competing with the steam os handhelds are still coming this one was more like Switch it was the Xbox handheld.I don't think it was the Switch 2 that shook them. I think it was...
Unknown?
Member
Sounds fake.
Don't want a handheld. Give me a proper set top box or a PC hybrid.
Sebastian1295
Member
The xbox brand is in the toilet since they went third party. They've lost a ton of credibility in the gaming space and have screwed themselves in the process. Releasing new hardware is just them burning money nowadays.
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reinking
Gold Member
Maybe? I still don't know what it is other than handheld. What I do know is "Xbox everywhere" is a real thing and SteamOS is the biggest threat to that. I also believe the PC/Steam OS handhelds will be their biggest competition when it comes to an Xbox handheld. Especially if they are moving toward a hybrid type console. All I can say to them is good luck if they really think they are going to compete head-to-head with Nintendo in the handheld market if that is the plan.
Punished Miku
Gaslighter Pro: 16.7 Fireflops
I guess we'll see what comes out. I'm interested if it has my whole library. Arm sounds more appealing to me as I want battery and small form factor for a handheld.
onnextflix5
Banned
ms are a big fat joke at this point , problem is the people in charge have no interest in gaming and will never give full authority to someone who has interest in gaming, so fuck them, hope they die soon.
Astray
Member
I think this article pretty much confirms that there won't be an Xbox handheld that runs your whole library.
However here's a PC handheld with the Xbox logo on it that doesn't actually run Xbox games.
Punished Miku
Gaslighter Pro: 16.7 Fireflops
Their entire forward compatibility effort is converting Xbox to Windows. When that is fully explained we will know what carries over and what doesn't.
rm082e
Member
This always sounded like an either/or situation with the Xbox handheld or improving Windows for handheld PCs. Doing both made no sense, unless it was a strategy of pursue both and eventually pick one to focus on.
I think streamlining Windows for better gaming performance is the better path. A dedicated Xbox handheld was never going to be successful when they're selling 50% less hardware with each generation. Hopefully a gaming focused version of Windows will work on desktop PCs eventually. I would move my gaming rig to it and make some sacrifices if it improved performance.
I think streamlining Windows for better gaming performance is the better path. A dedicated Xbox handheld was never going to be successful when they're selling 50% less hardware with each generation. Hopefully a gaming focused version of Windows will work on desktop PCs eventually. I would move my gaming rig to it and make some sacrifices if it improved performance.
The handheld that's on hold would have pretty much been a handheld Series S expanding the Series consoles & would have been in the same lane as Switch 2.
The other "Xbox" handhelds will be more like the SteamOS devices coming with Microsoft basically providing the OS & some guild lines to manufacturers for what can get the Xbox label .
We could end up with some devices basically being the same but one being a SteamOS device while the other is a Xbox device
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reinking
Gold Member
Do we know that? I had read that project Kennan is to be a stop gap while they developed their handheld OS but I don't think I saw confirmation that it was going to be a closed OS. I assumed their handheld OS was for Xbox Everywhere. TBH, I have not followed the rumors closely so I probably missed it.
Represent.
Represent(ative) of bad opinions
Thank god
Hopefully Sony cancels theirs next
They can barely support one platform, they don't need 2 lmao
Hopefully Sony cancels theirs next
They can barely support one platform, they don't need 2 lmao
It's in the OP this is the one that was MS handheld Xbox that would play Xbox games
This wouldn't have been a separate platform & I don't believe any of the big 3 will ever make a separate platform for their handheld again.
ZehDon
Member
"Re-allocation of resources" makes this an interesting development. Possibilites:
- Microsoft are pushing ahead with their Windows-based Xbox emulator, so why bother with an Xbox handheld when using the extra resources to optimise handheld Windows provides, effectively, the same ultimate result.
- They're shifting their own handheld to use Windows 11 directly instead of a proper Xbox-OS, so why not let third parties test it in the wild.
- Windows is going to get an "Xbox" mode, meaning there's a chance the big boy console may actually have Windows on it and really just be a pre-built pc.
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Astray
Member
Absolute fat chance this will happen when devs and publishers rely so heavily on remakes and remasters of old content and they know they can get people to double-dip with ease.
Anything that isn't PlayAnywhere will not be carried through natively because then it's likely the software owners didn't sign off on that when they licensed the software to Microsoft Xbox.
My guess is forward compatibility is about making these games continually available for cloud, which will eventually have to retire its current Series S and X-based hardware blades to keep up with newer games or increased demand.
LiquidMetal14
hide your water-based mammals
I just installed Bazzite on the Ally last week. I'm moving closer to exploring, at the very least, a dual boot option for the future. MSFT needs to get off their ass and debloat the hell of out Windows as their comfort zone won't always be there for gamers.
