You know all the talk about the Xbox and whether it was doing well earlier this year? Well, coming out of GDC, we seem to be back in the “what happened to Microsoft’s gaming division” debate. Phil Spencer appears to remain focused on handheld devices, but some publishers are reportedly worried about the company’s other hardware.
If you’re not in the know, Xbox ended up doing a slightly weird podcast about the current state of the company and its future plans, and uh, gosh, it was just last month. Shortly thereafter, four Xbox games launched on PS5, Switch, or both PS5 and Switch, while games such as “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Great Circle” and “Starfield” were confirmed to be retained for the time being.
Now, in an update to a tweet he liked last month, Spencer has said more about the idea of an Xbox handheld and what it might look like – with recent reports claiming it’s in the works to be “fully native” device of. The key, it seems, is making the handheld feel like an Xbox, in line with console makers’ current buzzword of “every screen can be an Xbox.”
In an interview with Polygon, Spencer showed us what it’s like to sit next to him on the plane we all long for. “I want my Lenovo Legion Go to feel like an Xbox,” he said, revealing he’s taken it to conferences and “on a plane.” [with] This list is everything that makes it feel less like an Xbox.”
He then outlined that this brand-centric way of thinking isn’t just about the Xbox brand, but simple content like all Xbox games and saves are important, specifically using Fallout 76 as an example. This is not the case now. To be honest, not being able to make progress in Appalachia while en route or using the bathroom seemed to really bother him, with the executive declaring: “It drives me crazy.”
Back on track, Spencer said Xbox’s hardware team is currently weighing “different hardware form factors and what needs to be considered.” [they] can do it” as it lays out the company’s future. Spencer has yet to confirm that Xbox handheld devices are part of it, but seems to indicate that supporting Xbox software on third-party handheld devices is definitely a priority.
That said, he may want to shift more focus back to the Xbox console, with GamesIndustry.biz’s Chris Dring saying he came out of GDC thinking “Xbox is really in trouble as a hardware manufacturer.”
This was reportedly made after numerous discussions with third-party publishers, with Derling saying: “A major company that released a big game last year said [was], ‘I don’t know why we bother supporting it’. ” One big factor appears to be that sales of Xbox consoles in Europe in particular have fallen short of expectations, falling throughout last year and early this year.
So, yes, while Phil’s handheld dream is all well and good, it seems like he might need to convince some people to see the value in the Xbox’s existing hardware.