Potential Xbox Handheld Reveal Window Narrowed Down by Insider

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Key Takeaways

  • An Xbox handheld device might be announced in 2025.
  • Some recent reports suggested that the next Xbox console generation will include a handheld device, but 2025 is likely too early for such a product to be announced or even teased.
  • The next console generation is expected to arrive in 2028.

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and skepticism upon hearing the latest rumors about an Xbox handheld device potentially being announced in 2025.

It’s been hinted that we might hear about a new portable gaming device, similar to an Xbox, in the year 2025 according to a reliable source. This speculation indicates that this potential product may not belong to the upcoming generation of Xbox consoles, but rather could be an addition to the existing lineup, possibly extending its capabilities.

2024 saw quite a buzz online about Microsoft dipping its toes into the portable gaming scene. And guess who added fuel to the fire? None other than Phil Spencer, the big cheese at Microsoft Gaming, who subtly hinted at an Xbox handheld in February by showing some love for tweets suggesting exactly that!

Industry insider Jez Corden suggests that new gaming hardware from Xbox might be revealed soon. On The Xbox Two Podcast episode dated November 4, he discussed the comments made by Xbox President Sarah Bond earlier in 2024 about showcasing new hardware by the end of the year. Although Corden initially thought Bond was referring to the Xbox Series X/S models launched in October, he hinted that there’s a chance Microsoft could introduce “completely new hardware” as early as 2025. He also suggested this new hardware might take the form of a handheld device.

In simpler terms, Corden hinted that Xbox could potentially present their new handheld gaming device in 2025, but he’s not sure if it will be showcased as early as The Game Awards in 2024. However, Microsoft has a tendency to announce hardware at events other than their own, like they did with the Xbox Series X/S at The Game Awards in 2019.

Xbox Handheld May Not Be a Next-Gen Console

It’s unlikely that the handheld device James Corden mentioned about being part of the next-gen Xbox console lineup will be the same as the rumored console for a 2025 reveal. This is mainly because Microsoft has been consistent in announcing its consoles around 18 months before they hit the market, and if this pattern continues, the handheld device would theoretically launch by the first half of 2027, assuming it’s announced at the end of 2025.

The timeline for Microsoft’s announcement of a new handheld Xbox doesn’t match up with their own previously stated release window for the next generation of Xbox consoles, which they mentioned during their legal dispute with the FTC over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard in mid-2023. They hinted that their next console generation is aiming for a 2028 release. As such, if Microsoft were to announce a handheld device in 2025, it’s more likely to be part of the current generation or possibly a streaming-only device similar to the Logitech G Cloud.

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2024-11-05 15:33