If you weren’t living under a rock over the past few months, then you definitely would have noticed that Xbox finally reported a portable handheld console in collaboration with Asus and with the announcement of Nintendo Switch 2 as well, it’s not a surprise that Xbox enthusiasts are salivating at the prospect of getting their hands on it.
Although a new handheld device in the market is an exciting prospect, according to a recent report, Microsoft has shifted its focus from its own native handheld console, in order to focus more on the collaboration device, which was supposed to launch around 2027. Let’s delve deeper into this.
Xbox is stepping back from its own native handheld console
Microsoft has always been keen on getting a significant chunk of the gaming industry, and with the new handheld codenamed “Project Kennan“, things might be looking up for the multinational technology company. It may sound confusing, but Microsoft isn’t shelving Project Kennan; they are shelving their own internal Xbox handheld.
According to Windows Central‘s Jez Corden, Microsoft is shifting its focus from building its own handheld to improving the Windows 11 gaming experience, specifically for the Asus collaboration device, Project Kennan.
Corden also mentions how, although Microsoft was deeply investing in its own native handheld device, it was announced internally that the priorities are moving more towards third-party OEM handhelds.
Microsoft is targeting a launch for Project Kennan later this year, and according to reports, the hardware side is essentially finished, with rumors suggesting that the device will be among the first to use the AMD Z2 Extreme, but there hasn’t been any official confirmation.
Although it seems like Microsoft has enough resources to make their OS better for handheld gaming performance, time might be slipping away from them in this venture because of how rival companies are already getting huge battery life and performance improvements in their game. The company has probably recognized how SteamOS is posing a threat to Windows’ gaming dominance and decided to act upon it.
Microsoft is investing in the future and not just the present
While Xbox continues to impress us with its well-loved remakes and high-quality titles, the path towards its hardware feels a bit uncertain. Even though the company does have the vision to build a more competitive handheld project, they instead choose to step with caution and proceed to take the calculated route.
This does not mean that Microsoft is bowing out of the handheld race, but in turn, this shift could help them in the long run in improving the gaming experience on Windows 11. By doing this, Microsoft is setting up a soft cushion for its Xbox handhelds to have a better gaming experience, and even PC players can benefit from it.
Whether through partnerships or platform improvements, one thing is clear that Microsoft is playing the long game. Instead of diving into the handheld market headfirst, Microsoft is building a foundation that could redefine how we experience games, even if it doesn’t carry the Xbox name with it.
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