Phil Spencer shoots down rumors of a PlayStation Portal like Xbox handheld

Local games are “really important”

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Rumors of a potential handheld console fromMicrosofthave been swirling for awhile now, with some even predicting that the recent Xbox Games Showcase would feature the reveal of such hardware.

While that wasn’t the case in the end, with the company instead announcing somenew Xbox models including a white Xbox Series X, there were still a few slithers of new information about such a device that came out over the weekend.

Most significantly, in an interview withIGNas part IGN Live 2024, journalist Ryan McCaffrey quizzed Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer all about Xbox - including a potential handheld from the company. In response to a question about whether it would allow you to play games locally or rely on cloud gaming technology, Spencer replied: “I think being able to play games locally is really important.”

Spencer also explained that he has been enjoying his time with theAsus Rog Ally,LenovoLegion Go, andSteam Deck, which are all popular handheld systems that are capable of playing games locally. Although not quite an official confirmation, I think we can safely assume that, if an Xbox handheld is indeed in the works, it will likely feature the ability to play games in a local capacity based on this reaction.

This would put any Xbox handheld in quite a different place to the likes of the PlayStation Portal, a remote play device from competitorSony. The PlayStation Portal requires a constant connection to aPlayStation 5console, which has led to criticism from some players eager for offline functionality. That said, we still consider the PlayStation Portal one of thebest handheld gaming consolesright now in its own right and awarded it a glowing five stars in ourPlayStation Portal review.

Being able to play some of thebest Xbox Series X gameson the go without any need for internet would be an incredibly tempting prospect, especially given the potential for compatibility with theXbox Game Passsubscription service. That said, we’re just going to have to wait and see exactly what Microsoft has in store.

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Dash is a technology journalist who covers gaming hardware at TechRadar. Before joining the TechRadar team, he was writing gaming articles for some of the UK’s biggest magazines including PLAY, Edge, PC Gamer, and SFX. Now, when he’s not getting his greasy little mitts on the newest hardware or gaming gadget, he can be found listening to J-pop or feverishly devouring the latest Nintendo Switch otome.

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