First up, it seems Microsoft is working with a PC gaming OEM (think ASUS, Lenovo, MSI, Razer, etc.) on an Xbox-branded gaming handheld, surprisingly slated for later in 2025 if plans are met. Codename "Keenan," this gaming handheld will look unmistakably "Xbox" we're told, complete with an official Xbox guide button, and Xbox design sensibilities. Given that this is a partner device, similar to Lenovo's SteamOS partnership with Valve, I expect this handheld to be more PC-oriented. It'll most likely run full Windows, putting the Microsoft Store and PC Game Pass front and center, alongside the ability to install things like Steam.
This device will likely serve, at least in part, as a research experience for Microsoft. I expect the handheld will test new Windows 11 "device aware" capabilities, while reducing third-party OEM bloatware that are typical of devices like the Lenovo Legion Go and ASUS ROG Ally. I expect Microsoft will leverage widgets on the Xbox Game Bar on PC for controlling things like TDP and fan speed, while hopefully having a more streamlined OS experience for controller use. Of course, existing PC gaming OEMs will benefit from these efforts as well — but the research will also help with Microsoft's further-out plans.
Because indeed, our sources also indicate that Microsoft's internal successor to the Xbox Series X|S platform has been fully greenlit all the way up to CEO Satya Nadella. For now, I understand that Microsoft's next-gen hardware plans include a premium successor to the powerful Xbox Series X, alongside its own Xbox gaming handheld, and several new controller options. Tentatively, it seems these new console devices are slated for 2027.
It seems that the next-gen Xbox consoles will be closer to Windows than ever before, reducing the amount of work developers have to commit to when porting from PC. I understand that they will continue to sport backwards compatibility with legacy Xbox games too, however. Xbox president Sarah Bond previously announced a project team specifically designed to promote backwards and forwards compatibility for existing Xbox games, to that end. Xbox lead Phil Spencer has teased in previous interviews a desire to support third-party storefronts on Xbox hardware too, including platforms like the Epic Game Store, GOG, itch.io, and even Steam itself. There's every reason to presume AI will have a role to play next-gen, as well as Xbox cloud capabilities. Microsoft's new controllers have direct-to-cloud connectivity from what I've been told, and more intelligently allow players to switch them between different devices.
Xbox's New Hardware Plans Begin With a Gaming Handheld in 2025 | Windows Central
