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Microsoft Readying Xbox Gaming Handheld for 2025, Plans to Launch Next Generation Console in 2027: Report

Microsoft Readying Xbox Gaming Handheld for 2025, Plans to Launch Next-Generation Console in 2027: Report 1s5n5w

The successor to the higher-end Xbox Series X has been fully greenlit, targeting launch in 2027. 33t6r

Written by Manas Mitul | Updated: 11 March 2025 13:51 IST

Microsoft Readying Xbox Gaming Handheld for 2025, Plans to Launch Next-Generation Console in 2027: Report

Microsoft is said to be working with an OEM on the Xbox-branded handheld n125v

Highlights

The Xbox gaming handheld will likely be Windows-based
Microsoft also plans to launch new controller options
Xbox has adopted a multiplatform strategy for its first-party games

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Xbox Series S/X successor in 2027.

Xbox Handheld Planned for 2025 363y1d

The information comes from Windows Central, which claims Microsoft is set to enter the gaming handheld space with a partner device planned for launch later this year. The report, published Monday, also claims the next-generation Xbox consoles are now fully in production.

Microsoft is reportedly collaborating with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in the Windows-based PC gaming handhelds in the market with Lenovo Legion Go, Asus ROG Ally and MSI Claw, respectively.

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According to the report, the Xbox gaming handheld is codenamed “Keenan” and sports a design that's “unmistakeably” Xbox, with a dedicated Xbox guide button. The device will most likely be Windows-based, with a focus on Microsoft store and PC Epic Games Store.

The said it intends to combine Windows and Xbox experience to streamline OS for gaming handhelds.

Windows-based gaming handhelds have faced criticism over their software and UI experience

Next-Gen Xbox Consoles in 2027 2v6w1e

In addition to its plans of bringing an Xbox-branded PC gaming handheld to market in 2025, Microsoft is reportedly working on the successor to Xbox Series S/X consoles. The next-generation consoles have been “fully greenlit”, the report said, citing sources familiar with the matter. The company is planning to launch a successor to the higher-end Xbox Series S will get the same treatment. Microsoft is also planning to introduce new controller options with for direct-to-cloud connectivity, the report said.

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In February 2024, Xbox president Sarah Bond had reiterated Microsoft's commitment to future Xbox hardware in a business update, claiming the company was focussed on delivering “largest technical leap” for a new console generation for the next Xbox.

While Microsoft is developing future Xbox hardware, questions about the platform's viability have been raised after the company decided to launch its first-party games on rival platforms. Since Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer Nintendo Switch, more first-party titles — both old and new — have launched outside the Xbox and PC ecosystem.

The Xbox Series X successor has been greenlit at Microsoft
Photo Credit: Microsoft

Xbox Games on Other Platforms 3i325k

This year, popular Xbox exclusives like Doom: The Dark Ages, also from Bethesda, will launch simultaneously on PC, Xbox Series S/X and PS5 on May 13.

Spencer has said more than once that he would not rule out any Xbox exclusive game from making the jump to PlayStation. In an PlayStation, as well.

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“There's no specific game that I would — this kind of goes back to my ‘red line' answer — like there's no reason for me to put a ring fence around any game and say ‘this game will not go to a place where it will find players, where it will have business success for us',” Spencer had said.

“Game is an important component of playing the games on our platform. But to keep games off of other platforms, that's not a path for us. It doesn't work for us what we're doing now,” he had added.

Last month, in a separate interview, Spencer itted he was no longer trying to move players on other platforms to Xbox and was instead focussed on building the Xbox business there.

Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Says He's No Longer Trying to Move All Players to Xbox

Microsoft's "This is an Xbox" ad campaign launched in November
Photo Credit: Microsoft

Even as new Xbox hardware is on its way, Microsoft itself has sought to deemphasise the ‘box' in the ‘Xbox', decoupling its content offerings from its console. In November, the company ran a new “This is an Xbox” marketing campaign that highlighted its cloud and Game strategies, essentially telling Xbox s that they didn't need an Xbox console to play Xbox games. At an annual shareholders' meeting a month later, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella doubled down on the message, saying players should be able to experience Xbox on all their devices.

Microsoft's push towards a multi-platform future for Xbox gaming has come as Xbox Series S/X sales have lagged far behind the PS5, even as Xbox player numbers are up. The company sees launching its first-party games on other platforms as an area of growth. Last year, Spencer had talked about the decision to release Xbox exclusives on PS5 and said the gaming division had to run a business and be able to its parent, Microsoft.

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“It's definitely true inside of Microsoft — the bar is high for us in of the delivery that we have to give back to the company, because we get a level of from the company that's just amazing in what we're able to go do.”

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Further reading: Microsoft

Manas Mitul

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In his time as a journalist, Manas Mitul has written on a wide spectrum of beats including politics, culture and sports. He enjoys reading, walking around in museums and rewatching films. Talk to Manas about football and tennis, but maybe don’t bring up his video game backlog. More