During GDC 2024, the Polygon media interviewed Phil Spencer who spoke about his interest in a portable solution for the Xbox. With the resurgence of portable consoles via the Steam Deck, the Asus Rog Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go, why not get into it. In any case, it’s an idea that seems to resonate in the mind of the director of Xbox. But as long as you do it correctly.
With the competition already well established, there is no question of creating an ultra-powerful machine that will only have that going for it. Especially since nothing guarantees good sales for such a machine. In addition to solid hardware, Spencer also wants the software to be well-crafted enough to stand out. He takes the example of the Wii which, in addition to offering hardware different from the Xbox 360 and PS3, was able to seduce players with its software.
“Look at the real inflection points in our industry, like the Wii. It was hardware innovation linked to great software innovation. »
Phil Spencer, head of Xbox
A project that may never see the light of day
And this is the path that Phil Spencer would like to take if Xbox were to develop a portable version of their console. But the most important thing for him remains that the Xbox ecosystem is more easily accessible on these devices. Whether they caused it or not. Phil Spencer already knows how he could create his own console, but remains lucid about the reality of the market. Therefore, he wants to prioritize the software side so that all consoles can benefit from it.
The goal is not to exclude players or force them to buy a new machine. For machines already running Windows, such as the Lenovo Legion Go and the Asus Rog Ally, could more easily benefit from this type of innovation. An Xbox application suitable for portable use, which allows you to continue your games wherever you are. It could also be a first step before the company begins manufacturing its own machines.
“I want to be able to start the Xbox app in full screen, but in compact mode. And all my [expérience] social is there. Like I want it to look like my Xbox dashboard when I turn on the TV. [Mais je le veux] on these devices. »
Phil Spencer, head of Xbox