Quasicat
Member
That would almost be an automatic for me at this point. That’s what makes the Switch and the Deck such great systems.
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Jez Corden: Xbox is working on a Xbox handheld, multiple prototypes in the works
Becoming?
They already became that years ago. Chasing the Kinect crowd so hard really fucked Xbox up.
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DeltaPolarBear
Member
One thing's certain, there will always be a "Sony will copy what Xbox does soon" post, every time Xbox announce a new strategy mistake. Been like that for 3 game gens now.
THE DUCK
voted poster of the decade by bots
A pc handheld is not needed, since they already exist. An xbox handheld has a ton more universal appeal than a linux based platform that plays some games and has zero exclusives, or windows based ones that are not truely plug and play like a console.
Steam deck still has a long way to go to be a true console, but it does have it appeal. Same with windows PC machines. The casual gamers don't even know what a steam deck is and think the other ones are laptops with controllers.
The key to its success is backwards compatibility with a generation or 2 of xbox games, plus day and date new games which series S has proven to be possible without too much full, outside of GAF.
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DenchDeckard
Moderated wildly
Well of they go with this and an ultra powered next gen console, they can't say they haven't tried everything.
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Solarstrike
Gold Member
Xeno would be good name.
saintjules
Member
Heard about the handheld few days prior to the OG post. Definitely happening.
www.neogaf.com
Rumor mill - New Xbox Devkits in Korea
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Punished Miku
Gold Member
If Sony wants to. Couple things in their way though since they dont have a lower spec Series S version of their games. They also just put out the Portal. But its not like Sony doesnt know handhelds. Up to them.I only care about this because it means that a PlayStation handheld is happening too.
Right?
reinking
Gold Member
We have PlayStation handheld at home.I only care about this because it means that a PlayStation handheld is happening too.
Right?
PlayStation handheld at home....
Topher
Gold Member
I think the handheld capabilities these days would be able to handle downscaled versions of most XSX/PS5 games so I don't really see that as an issue. The existence of the Portal makes me think Sony haven't put much effort into a dedicated handheld so they very well me be a bit behind Microsoft if that is where a new battle is brewing.
Punished Miku
Gold Member
They can handle downscaled versions. I just meant that would require all devs to resubmit new builds to PSN. MS has those already for every game. Its a huge shortcut.
Mibu no ookami
Member
I only care about this because it means that a PlayStation handheld is happening too.
Right?
Moore's Law is dead discussed a rumored PS handheld before this rumor even came about. Whether you believe him or not is really the key point there.
But assuming he is right, we'd be looking at probably a holiday 2025 launch or slightly later.
I think it would make sense to release PS5 Pro this year and PS5 Handheld next year. We'll really see how PSSR works and if they can run PS5 games at low resolution upscaled to 1080p, this handheld could be a real winner. We've yet to really see AI upscaling on a handheld. I think the claw can do xess but from what I understand the device is no bueno.
PSSR could give Sony a massive advantage if it works on a PS handheld, which you would assume it would at this point, especially if it isn't dependent on specific titles being built to support it.
PSSR is maybe the thing I'm most excited about Sony revealing with PS5 Pro.
Topher
Gold Member
Ah....I follow. Yeah, I guess the main modifications at that point is adapting games to the handheld screen for text, menu items, etc. For some games on Steam Deck, that can be a bit cumbersome without some adjustments. But you are right, the graphical heavy lifting is probably largely done.
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March Climber
Member
It would have been a great codename for a console in 2004.
AeonGaidenRaiden
Member
MS have gamepass, some games which are not on PC either. They have the budget and team to make a competitor as well as a unified system like the deck with their own UI/OS. Others are just windows in portable mode. Also on gamepass you have all the EA and Ubisoft and others included for "free". They can also make a deal with the Eidos store or just open up the system to all. Id buy it in a heartbeat. Steamdeck is only one in its space so the competition is non existant atm. If they just made another windows handhel with gamepass then they would be going against another 5 companies. I dont think Steam Deck should be alone, competition is good and will push the other to make it better. Right now SD can relax and not care about a new system in next 3 years as they said. If MS jumped in, they would probably rethink the release schedule of their future systems.
Whatever it is, I do hope handhelds keep a healthy yearly cycle and not a new version every two years. SD Oled is so good that it makes me feel sorry for anyone that bought the regular a month before.
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Panajev2001a
GAF's Pleasant Genius
A yearly release cycle is not healthy, 2-3 years (more like 3 years and something) is better as the hardware is not advancing fast enough (and actually it has been slowing down for a while). Let alone the fact that producing and selling HW frequently is not a great use of R&D resources unless you have Apple like fans that will pay obscene margins over and over for small product increments and like being overcharged for storage and RAM options.
These are battery powered handhelds with a restricted power envelope and they are already big enough with active cooling. Aside from the OLED side-grade, Valve is following a console like model where they will not release a successor until they have a large enough performance and features gap.
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Fredrik
Member
Okay good point about Gamepass, I never bothered doing the dual boot thing to get that to work when I had the sub. I struggle to see it get a big market though if it’s just a Xbox since that’s such a small platform now. Iirc PC Gamepass is growing more than Xbox Gamepass too.
For both a new Xbox and a future handheld I think it would be wise to just go with Windows and make a good UI/launcher it can boot into.
Can’t be that difficult to get it right. Just go with a 360 Blades UI, would get me interested. And they could mask out Windows completely through a tailored boot process to make it look like a Xbox even if Windows is running underneath. And leave the door open for more stores and modding and won’t be as locked out from exclusivity.
Backwards compatibility is the biggest hurdle, they already have that working on Series consoles. Would need to unleash the BC team to make legacy Xbox emulators for Windows.
Orbital2060
Member
On a related note, xbox and nintendo will both have handhelds in the market. And depending on how the hardware compatibilites work out, the switch 2 might be a candidate for a lot of the games that XGS, Bethesda, and ABK publish. Depending on how close to the series S the switch 2 ends up being. Because they are already working on the series S versions by default. Blizzard has already made a Diablo 3 app for the switch. Why not have Diablo 4 and everything else on there as well?
Tams
Member
King Dazzar
Member
they could morph it into a fully grown console in 2026.
StereoVsn
Member
This didn’t work out for their console. Their Surface division sales have been falling as well.
Whether MS can produce a successful handheld is a big question. Publishing games on 3rd party platforms can be quite profitable on the other hand vs blowing $billions on R&D.
We shall see what happens though, either way it’s going to be interesting.
Tams
Member
Again, they are not going to had over profits like that, especially when they a) already have competing platforms and b) can afford to improve/make their own.
Valve are just another company.
gothmog
Gold Member
MS is in a tough spot trying to be a console and OS brand at the same time, but I don't think Sony would have a hard time selling a higher end version of the Portal.
Everything you listed works but that stack is nowhere near mainstream.