Multiple Xbox handheld prototypes are being worked on at Microsoft, according to rumors circulating online.
Speaking during the latest episode of the Xbox Two podcast, Windows Central's Jez Corden revealed how the company currently has multiple Xbox handheld prototypes for a system meant to play Xbox games natively. The fact that there are multiple prototypes, however, doesn't mean that the device will go to market, as devices are canned all the time, and Microsoft itself did so with the Surface Mini.
While there's the possibility that the Xbox handheld may never make it to market, Jez Corden believes that it is happening for a few reasons. For starters, the current landscape seems quite favorable, with the success of the Steam Deck and similar devices, and it would be insane for Microsoft not to go ahead with its device, also considering how Valve has managed to build a handheld gaming platform that has exclusives from both Microsoft and Sony. Additionally, as opposed to other rumors, such as the ones from earlier this year that said that Microsoft was going third-party, no one has debunked the Xbox handheld rumors, so the company is, at the very least, considering the possibility.
As for when an Xbox handheld could be released, it is impossible to tell, but, likely, it won't launch this year or the next. As a product gets closer to release, more information leaks out, as it's happening with the PlayStation 5 Pro, and the fact this hasn't happened yet suggests the device is nowhere near launch.
Alongside commenting on the Xbox handheld, Jez Corden also talked about the mysterious new dev kit certified in South Korea last week. Corden speculates that it could be a new version of the dev kit with some AI features to get developers to come to grips with them in preparation for the next-generation console, but as of now, there's no concrete information on it.
Rumors regarding an Xbox handheld have been circulating online for some time. Apparently, the dockable handheld will be a second SKU for the next-generation Microsoft console that can run Xbox games natively.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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