In a recent interview, Microsoft’s Jason Ronald, the VP of ‘Next Generation’, explained that the company is working to fuse Xbox and Windows to create an enhanced, accessible, and much more enjoyable handheld gaming experience.
He stressed that the tech titan has ‘spent 20 years building a world-class operation system’, but that OS is confined almost entirely to ‘the console’. The goal is to make Windows-powered gaming handhelds much more efficient and user-friendly by linking the power and versatility of Windows with the gaming-focused capabilities and UI of Xbox.
‘Innovating for a Long Time’
For years, rumours regarding an Xbox handheld have circulated like wildfire. With the global rise of handheld gaming devices soaring, many have wholeheartedly expected Team Green to come out with something in that space, but Xbox’s representatives have remained relatively tight-lipped.
During a recent panel that was covered by The Verge, Jason Ronald of Microsoft spoke about the impending fusion between Xbox and Windows that will vastly improve how users enjoy their handheld devices. For the longest time, devices like the ASUS ROG Ally (and Ally X) have been hampered by the cumbersome and at times buggy Windows UI and experience on the small screen.
Ronald explained:
We’ve been really innovating for a long time in the console space, and as we partner across the industry it’s really about how do we bring those innovations that we’ve incubated and developed in the console space and bring them to PC and bring them to the handheld gaming space.
I would say it’s bringing the best of Xbox and Windows together, because we have spent the last 20 years building a world-class operating system, but it’s really locked to the console. What we’re doing is we’re really focused on how do we bring those experiences for both players and developers to the broader Windows ecosystem.
Many opt to go with a Steam Deck because the SteamOS is built for gaming first, whereas the Windows 11 implementation featured on most handheld gaming devices is designed for multi-tasking of sorts.
Sure, it means that all Windows 11 devices are much more versatile and inclusive, but the experience isn’t great overall, and using a stock-standard Windows UI on a 7-inch or 8-inch display is often painstaking.
Ronald summed it up:
At the end of the day, our goal is to make Windows great for gaming on any device.
The reality is the Xbox operating system is built on top of Windows. So there’s a lot of infrastructure that we built in the console space that we can bring to the PC space and really deliver that premium gaming experience on any device.
Perhaps this mission could make gaming handhelds feel much more like gaming handhelds in future, and not like a miniature laptop that also plays games.
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