There were rumors fly all year It is stated that Xbox is working on a handheld PC. On Wednesday, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer confirmed that plans are underway, but it looks like a true portable device is still a few years away.

I’m talking to BloombergThe longtime Xbox executive addressed ongoing speculation about whether Microsoft will join the current PC gaming handheld arms race. “The expectation is that we do something (in this category),” he acknowledged. He told Bloomberg that the company is currently working on prototypes but is no closer to a finished product. It also appears that these plans may be canceled if market conditions change.

The Switch console hybrid has become Nintendo’s second best-selling gaming device ever, while others in the space have begun to address the growing market for high-end portable gaming devices. Valve released this Steam DeckAsus sent ROG Ally Works closely with Microsoft on Game Pass and other Windows gaming functionality, and other companies We’re exploring the limits of what people will pay for a gaming PC with a screen on it. And of course we I’m waiting for Switch 2 any day.

Microsoft’s exploration of its own dedicated PC gaming device comes as its broader strategy moves past its own Xbox Series X/S consoles. Following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the company has moved to bring its Xbox exclusives to competing platforms like the Switch and PlayStation 5, reach more players through cloud gaming on mobile devices, and bring PC gamers into its ecosystem via its Game Pass subscription library.

While an Xbox handheld sounds exciting on paper for longtime fans, it’s still unclear what it will bring to the table missing from the Steam Deck, Rog Ally, and the Switch. Still, that question hasn’t stopped the company from continuing to invest in its Surface laptop line. It’s not hard to imagine one of these evolving into a gaming-first device, but in practice it’s undoubtedly more challenging.

And plans can always turn out by chance. At one point Microsoft also Working on Xbox TV streaming box This will allow anyone to access Game Pass without having to buy an expensive console. Instead, the company chose to work directly with smart TV manufacturers to integrate this functionality. The company’s much-hyped Xbox mobile games store is also still MIA. Still, Spencer seems to think the overall market, whether Xbox, iPhone or beyond, is moving away from walled gardens.

“I think the ball is moving in the right direction,” Spencer said. “You’re seeing the momentum of this open platform idea where users have more options, where creators have more options, right?”

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