Could the Xbox Series S be MS entry into a Handheld Device

[VAMatt]

Machiavellian said:

VAMatt said:

It seems pretty clear to me that Microsoft's long-term strategy is to get completely out of the gaming hardware business. So, I can't see them trying to get into a new segment of that business.

I disagree, MS isn't looking to get out of creating their own hardware instead they are looking to get out of depending on hardware sells as the sole means of revenue in games.  In other words, MS doesn't want to depend on the sales of Xbox hardware for revenue when there are billion of other devices out their that can play games.  Why limit your market just to a console when you can at least attempt to allow users to play on whatever they have on hand.  It also leverages the strength of MS as a company including their cloud stack.

There is zero chance that MS wants to remain in a money losing business like video game hardware.  The only reason they are in it now is to sell software.  But, they are now actively and openly trying to make it so that hardware is irrelevant.  

There are no companies on planet earth that want to make consoles. It's just that a few companies decided that was the best path to generating lots of software revenue.  All of those companies would prefer to not have to deal with rhe hardware anymore.  MS seems to be the one with the most ambitious plan to get out of it.