It's difficult to resist imagining the possibilities of a specialised portable Xbox console when considering the recent surge in PC gaming handhelds. Xbox Chief Phil Spencer has been exploring this idea extensively while testing devices such as the Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally, and Lenovo Legion Go. Spencer envisions seamlessly launching into a condensed, full-screen Xbox app and interface upon starting up a portable device, complete with the familiar social features and overall essence of the Xbox dashboard. His goal is to replicate the genuine Xbox experience on these innovative mobile platforms.
During an interview with Polygon at GDC, Spencer confessed that he's been evaluating these handheld devices from an Xbox perspective. He said, “I want my Lenovo Legion Go to feel like an Xbox. I have this list of everything that makes it not feel like an Xbox. Do all my games show up with the save [files] that I want? I’ll tell you one [game] that doesn’t right now — it’s driving me crazy — is Fallout 76. It doesn’t have cross-save.”
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Naturally, envisioning the ideal portable Xbox is one aspect, but Spencer is aware of the practicalities concerning hardware. Under the leadership of Roanne Sones, the Xbox team is actively investigating "various form factors" for future devices that could introduce gaming to entirely new demographics and environments.
However, Spencer's considerations extend beyond hardware solutions. He envisions two potential strategies for bringing a genuine Xbox experience to handheld devices – either creating dedicated Xbox portable hardware or enhancing the Xbox software ecosystem on Windows devices such as the Ally and Legion Go.
He said, “I like the fact that Valve, Lenovo, and Asus went out and innovated in a new form factor. And I will say that when I’m playing on those devices, it almost feels more like a console than a PC.”