Microsoft teases ultrapowerful next-gen Xbox — and maybe a handheld

Microsoft is teasing the potential for unique Xbox hardware in the future and a powerful next-gen console. Four previously exclusive Xbox games are officially coming to the PS5 and Nintendo Switch soon, and Microsoft wants to reassure Xbox fans that it’s still very much invested in the future of its platform and hardware.

In an official Xbox podcast today, Xbox president Sarah Bond teased that Microsoft will deliver “the largest technical leap” with the next-generation Xbox:

We’ve got more to come. There’s some exciting stuff coming out in hardware that we’re going to share this holiday. We’re also invested in the next-generation roadmap. What we’re really focused on there is delivering the largest technical leap you will have ever seen in a hardware generation, which makes it better for players and better for creators and the visions that they’re building.

Speaking to The Verge, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer went a step further, teasing that the Xbox hardware teams are thinking about building different kinds of hardware. “I’m very proud of the work that the hardware team is doing, not only for this year, but also into the future,” says Spencer. “[We’re] really thinking about creating hardware that sells to gamers because of the unique aspects of the hardware. It’s kind of an unleashing of the creative capability of our hardware team that I’m really excited about.”

Perhaps that unique hardware is an Xbox handheld. “We see a lot of opportunity in different types of devices, and will share specifics on our future hardware plans as soon as we are ready,” says Microsoft in an Xbox blog post today.

There have been persistent rumors of an Xbox handheld, and Spencer has been liking posts on X that mention the possibility of this hardware. “I’m a big fan of handhelds,” says Spencer. “I’m a big fan, but nothing to announce.” He does admit that there’s still a lot of work to do on the Windows side for handheld gaming PCs. “One of the weak points in the experience on a ROG or the Lenovo [Legion Go] is Windows,” says Spencer. “How Windows works on controller input only on that kind of DPI, on a smaller eight- or seven-inch screen. That’s a real design point that our platform team is working with Windows to make sure that the experience is even better.”

Before the next-generation Xbox and potentially even a handheld, it sounds like the leaked discless Xbox Series X and new controller might still be a thing. “We have a robust and innovative multi-year hardware roadmap including more console and controller options for you this holiday,” says Microsoft in a blog post. “Xbox players will know that their games are built to maximize the latest features of our hardware and services.”