Katarzyna Petru
Microsoft wants to enter the portable console market, but their new hardware may be dead on arrival. First impressions? Mixed. The co-creator of the original Xbox didn't leave a dry thread on the project. The new Xbox handheld… which is really just a modified ROG Ally with a Microsoft logo.
During a recent presentation, Microsoft showcased something that was supposed to be a response to the growing popularity of the Steam Deck and ROG Ally. However, instead of a revolution, we got a rebranding. The new Xbox handheld is practically a modified ROG Ally running on Windows 11, not a specially created console system.
On paper, it looks like a "PC in handheld form." In practice? Laura Fryer, former manager of the Xbox team, states bluntly: “There is absolutely no reason to buy this hardware. Xbox as hardware doesn’t exist – that division is dead.”
No classic games, high price, questionable sense
The criticism didn't come out of nowhere. The console does not support classic titles from Xbox or Xbox 360 – forget about Ninja Gaiden Black, Halo 3, or Sonic Unleashed. The handheld only runs games from the Xbox Play Anywhere program – meaning exactly the same titles that can be launched on a regular PC with Windows.
On top of that, there is a starting price: around 599 euros. For many gamers, it might be more cost-effective to buy a regular laptop, Switch 2, or... Steam Deck, which offers a more stable system, cheaper games, and community support.
Even the industry says "no"
Laura Fryer is not alone in her assessment. Earlier, Mike Ybarra, former president of Blizzard Entertainment, called on Microsoft to focus on what truly matters - games - instead of "unnecessary hardware."
Microsoft has been teetering on the edge of its image for months - layoffs in the Xbox division, studio closures, an uncertain future for the Gears and Halo series. Now they are adding hardware that, as Fryer points out, brings absolutely nothing new.
Who needs it?
For now, it seems that the new handheld Xbox will be a device for a handful of fans, who primarily play on PC anyway and want something “to go.” But if someone is looking for a true console experience in mobile form – Microsoft probably has nothing to offer them.
Is this just a blunder, or a sign of a larger identity problem with the Xbox brand? Time will tell.
Source: ithardware.pl
