While Sony is already making technical progress with the Playstation and Nintendo with the Switch 2, there are still no significant details about the next generation for Xbox fans. However, Microsoft obviously wants to take advantage of a trend, as Xbox boss Phil Spencer has now made clear.
The step to the next generation is always an exciting one for fans of gaming consoles. With the Playstation 5 Pro We have already hinted where the sixth series of consoles could go from a technical perspective. Nintendo is Switch 2 is in the starting blocks and could also make a considerable leap for the Japanese company if the previous rumors are true. And at Xbox? Everything is currently happening behind closed doors. With the latest models, Microsoft brought new consoles onto the market that were technically largely identical.
However, those responsible at Xbox are already aware of what is happening on the market – and they obviously want to take advantage of trends.
Xbox remains in the conversation
The secrecy is not well received by all Xbox fans, especially since the latest generation of the console, despite good technical prerequisites and a successful – yes, controversial – design has no chance against the competition in terms of pure sales figures. Recent figures have proven this and confirmed that Sony has a market share of almost 70 percent in the direct duel. This repeats what was standard in the competition between Xbox and Playstation in previous generations: Xbox is left empty-handed, and was only able to exploit the advantages of the market environment with the Xbox 360.
Microsoft has been very rigorous in pushing forward its business model around service subscriptions, but this has ultimately reinforced one impression: having consoles in the game room is no longer a mandatory requirement in order to be able to play top-class games, as this now works very well with cloud gaming. A console must therefore offer more than just performance in order to be successful in the long term.
And Microsoft has apparently recognized this and put two and two together, given that handhelds are still in vogue. There have been rumors that the next Xbox generation would also feature mobile gaming solutions – CEO Phil Spencer has now dropped the bombshell in an interview with Bloomberg and surprisingly confirmed this officially. "We definitely want to be on the market," the CEO explained when asked about Microsoft's future in mobile games. The idea of new hardware has already been considered, but the corresponding devices are still "a few years away". Microsoft is therefore apparently in no particular hurry to compete directly with the Nintendo Switch 2 or the Steam Deck. For understandable reasons. Because: While competitors can already learn from their experiences, Microsoft would have to make a completely new start with an Xbox handheld - with all the opportunities and problems that would entail.
"In the long term, I like it when we build devices," Spencer said in the interview. The team is capable of doing innovative work. The CEO also pointed out that Xbox is learning and looking at what is currently happening.
Perhaps Microsoft has already noticed that the coming generations of modern handhelds could be very different from the first ones that have been released so far. Technological innovations in the area of chip development could lead to a rethink in design in the foreseeable future. The bottleneck is now less the potential computing power than the comparatively slow development of small-format high-performance batteries.
If Xbox still has a few years to go before an Xbox handheld can actually be released, the question is: what will this device look like? So far, it's all just theory, because Microsoft has not provided any information on this. It would also be possible to adjust the target group, away from enthusiasts and towards family gamers. This has worked brilliantly for Nintendo and the Switch over the past eight years - and has made the hybrid console becomes a real bestsellerIf Microsoft continues to expand the subscription service in the meantime, the Redmond-based company could put itself in a good position for when the handheld becomes a reality.
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