Xbox has long been rumoured to be working on a gaming handheld, but it's not believed to be a Nintendo Switch hybrid-style console.
We should, claim experts, still expect a successor for the Xbox Series X too.
There have been rumours of an Xbox gaming handheld for months now, ever since its head, Phil Spencer, expressed his love for the format. And, the numerous rumours and leaks that have followed suggest it is almost certainly happening.
However, those expecting a Nintendo Switch-style device, which doubles as a portable and home console, need curb their enthusiasm. It seems that's not the plan.
Some have claimed that the much-rumoured Xbox handheld will be released instead of an Xbox Series X 2 (or Xbox Next, as some have called it). But industry experts, including the reliable Jez Corden of Windows Central, believe otherwise.
He has stated on his Xbox Two podcast that the successor to the Xbox Series X will be a full-fledged, next-gen machine, while the handheld is more likely to be an add-on:
"I'll tell you now: there's going to be a separate handheld and there's going to be an Xbox Series X successor," he said (as reported by WCCFtech)
"It's going to be two different things. They're not just going to try and go all in on handheld only; they're going to do a more traditional console for the Series X people and then a handheld.
"I'm predicting a Series X successor, a handheld, and the end of the paywall for premium multiplayer games. That's my prediction."
Xbox Next and handheld release date
It is also believed that the two separate releases will be available by 2026 at the latest, with Microsoft allegedly looking to beat Sony to the punch by releasing Xbox Next before the PS6.
This strategy worked for the Xbox 360, which became the most popular console of its generation. Whenever an Xbox was released in the same year as a PlayStation, the PlayStation has always won.
As for the handheld, while Corden predicts that it will be seen as a complementary device to the new console, I believe it'll still be standalone – Phil Spencer has often alluded to that by extolling the capabilities of the Steam Deck and other PC gaming handhelds.
We'll surely find out more as the months tick by.
