Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and… An Xbox handheld? Microsoft says it’s happening, even if it is ‘years away’

The rumours are true: Xbox is following in Nintendo and Valve’s footsteps, as Phil Spencer confirms {that a} handheld is on the way in which.

Manner again in March of this yr, it was reported that Xbox was developing its own handheld, one thing that is wholly unsurprising given how profitable the Nintendo Swap has been (it is the third finest promoting console of all time), with the Steam Deck proving lots common too. Xbox head Phil Spencer then added gas to that fireplace by saying that he thinks the company should have a handheld, however did not outright affirm it. Now, in a brand new interview with Bloomberg, Spencer has lastly confirmed that Xbox is engaged on one thing in that vein, you simply most likely will not see it for a very good whereas but.

Talking to Bloomberg, Spencer stated that the “expectation is we’d do one thing” on this planet of handhelds. Prototypes are presently being labored on, with Xbox contemplating the way it needs to deal with its model of a handheld, with Spencer asking his group to have a look at the market and make decisions primarily based on what it learns. Nonetheless, Spencer did additionally be aware that an Xbox handheld continues to be a couple of years out, so do not count on to be taking part in the newest Sport Go title from the consolation of your individual mattress any time quickly (until, you realize, you personal a special handheld which may run Sport Go, which is fully doable).

The Swap actually has modified how corporations are taking a look at handhelds, with Nintendo being the one firm to essentially go for it for a very long time now – Sony did have the PSP, which did truly do fairly properly (it is estimated to have offered 80-82 million models), however the PS Vita was clearly a failure, so the corporate stayed out of the market till it launched the PS Portal. There’s estimates that that is offered between 420,000-630,000 models in the past year, which is not too unhealthy, however it’s clearly only a cloud streaming system and never a completely fledged handheld.

We’re all nonetheless ready on the Swap 2, too, which will probably be a very good check to see if handheld consoles are right here to remain – all we have now to do is look forward to Nintendo to really get spherical to saying it.