Home consoles are once again on the rise. The Nintendo Switch paved the way for hybrid machines between the portable PC and the console, first with the Steam Deck of Valve then a bunch of clones, whether it’s the ASUS ROG Ally, the Lenovo Legion Go or the MSI Claw. Visibly, Microsoft he wants his piece of the pie too.
Journalist Jez Corden said in an episode of podcast Xbox Two that Microsoft would be designing a prototype of Xbox portable, a machine capable of running games natively and not simply via the cloud gaming and the Game Pass Ultimate, unlike the Logitech G Cloud. According to the journalist, the prototype would be completely newit must therefore be remembered that this type of product is regularly under study by manufacturers, without necessarily seeing the light of day afterwards.
Coincidence that accompanies this rumor, Xbox boss Phil Spencer recently spoke with Polygon on the occasion of the Game Developers Conference to discuss the success of portable consoles already on the market, recalling thathe regularly uses the Lenovo Legion Go and imagines a device designed by Microsoft :
I want my Lenovo Legion Go to look like an Xbox. I brought it with me to the GDC. I’m on the plane and I have this list of everything that makes it not look like an Xbox. Forget the brand. Rather: are all my games there? Are all my games showing up with the saves I want? I’ll tell you one game that doesn’t work at the moment – it’s driving me crazy – it’s Fallout 76. It doesn’t have cross-save.
I want to be able to start the Xbox app in full screen, but in compact mode. And all my social experience is there. Like I want it to look like my Xbox interface when I turn on the TV. Except I want that on these devices.
Phil Spencer also specifies that his team hardware constantly considering new devices to attract gamers, it must be said that the home console market is limited and could even disappear, according to Peter Moore, his predecessor. It is still necessary that Microsoft manages to offer a unique portable console, different from the competition, Phil Spencer also admits that his concerns are more linked to Windows that at hardware of the Lenovo Legion Go:
I like that Valve, Lenovo and Asus have innovated a new form factor. And I will say that when I play on these devices, it almost feels more like a console than a PC – nine times out of 10. The things that generally frustrate me are more Windows-based than device-based. This is an area that I feel part ownership of. For example, I want to be able to connect with a controller. I have my list of things we should do.
From a game creator’s perspective, I can then create a unique version of my game that covers more hardware and reaches more customers. And I would say that for the players, it reduces friction. For example, if I want to play my console games on the go with a portable console, I don’t want to be able to buy just one brand of portable console. Not true ? I want everything we do in hardware to be great. But if someone chooses to go play today somewhere else, I don’t want them to feel like an inferior Xbox player.
I think it’s important. You and I have been here for a while. Look at the real inflection points in our industry, like the Wii. It was a hardware innovation linked to a great software innovation.
With these statements and the rumor relayed by Jez Corden, it seems clear that Microsoft considering a console Xbox portable. Besides, A hardware correspondent was present in the documents that leaked last Septembereven if all this remains unclear.
While waiting to find out more, you can subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate against €14.99 on Amazon, Cdiscount And there Fnac.
| Clint008 Editor – Tester |
