Xbox Portable: Here are its main features

Microsoft is not abandoning the idea portable xbox. After months of rumors and speculation, Microsoft Gaming chief Phil Spencer admitted that The hardware team is experimenting with different designs what may materialize in the future. The idea is to offer the full Xbox experience on a device similar to existing laptops, which doesn’t exist.

In an interview with PolygonSpencer shared her strategy for acquiring an Xbox portable. It’s no secret that “Uncle Phil” is a fan of devices like Legion Go. from Lenovo, which he takes with him everywhere he travels. But all these consoles have a drawback, that’s what They don’t look like Xbox.

“I want my Lenovo Legion Go to feel like an Xbox. I want to be able to run the Xbox app in full screen, but in compact mode,” said the head of Microsoft Gaming. “Let all my social experience be there. Let it look like dashboard on my TV when I turn on the Xbox, but on these devices [portátiles]”.

For Spencer and company, a portable Xbox should offer a similar experience to what we have now. on the big screen. This includes access to your entire library of games and saved games, including Game Pass. The head of Microsoft Gaming wants it feels like a real extension of your Xbox consolesomething that has not been achieved until now.

Technology starts with two important questions when designing a portable experience: What should we build to reach new players? Will this allow people to play when they couldn’t before? To get it hardware team working on prototypes of different form factors that will help answer these questions.

Xbox portable won’t be limited to a physical console, Microsoft warns

When we think of the Xbox portable, a new console similar to the Steam Deck immediately comes to mind. The truth is hardware isn’t the only option Microsoft is considering in your future strategy. The company also thinks about develop experience with software which can be installed on existing devices such as Legion Go or ROG Ally.

Phil Spencer said there will be gamers who will prefer brands other than Xbox, so he wants to improve the software experience on Windows laptops. The head of Microsoft Gaming knows that Steam Deck’s strength is its software integration.. SteamOS is designed for gaming and provides a console-like interface, so the user does not have to worry about installing additional applications or optimizations.

“What usually upsets me is that they’re more about Windows than they are about devices,” Phil Spencer said. In a second interview with Edgemanager described in detail some of the problems that need to be solved. “One of the weak points of ROG or Lenovo is Windows. How it works with controller input only at this type of DPI, on a smaller seven or eight inch screen. This is the real point of development: “Our team is working with Windows to make the experience even better.”

The idea of ​​bringing the Xbox experience to all screens is something Spencer has promoted during his time at the helm. An Xbox portable would be an interesting bet for a company looking to attract more Game Pass subscribers. To achieve this, you’ll have to look at the most successful competitor in the segment and learn from what makes Steam Deck great.