Despiterecent news suggesting otherwise, a new exclusive report from Windows Central’s Jez Corden says that definitive next-genXboxhardware plans are in place.
Cordensays that Microsoft is working on an Xbox-branded gaming handheld that will be released later this year. Codenamed “Keenan,” the handheld will reportedly look “unmistakably Xbox.” It’s being said that the handheld is a partner device similar to Lenovo’s SteamOS partnership with Valve. As a result, don’t be surprised if the unit runs the Windows OS.
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While other handheld devices, such as the Lenovo Legion Go, can runXbox Game Pass, they also come with Lenovo’s proprietary software, which many dismiss as bloatware. Having a dedicated Windows device in handheld form will aim to perfectly capture the PC gaming experience in handheld form. It’s something that the Steam Deck does a great job of, although running games from outside the Steam marketplace still involves countless hurdles to jump through.
The Next-Gen Xbox Is Currently Slated for Release in 2027
That’s not all Microsoft has in store for hardware news. Corden adds that the next-gen Xbox consoles (not console, he does say consoles) are slated for a 2027 release.
He says that the successor to the Xbox Series X|S family platform has been “fully greenlit all the way up to CEO Satya Nadella.” While it’s not clear if that includes SKUs similar to the Xbox Series X, which is the more powerful console, and the Xbox Series S, which is a digital budget option, Corden says that Microsoft’s overall hardware plans include a premium successor to the Xbox Series X, their own Xbox gaming handheld, and new controller options.
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The Xbox brand will continue to work on backward compatibility, something it has done since the release of theXbox 360. Nintendo has focused on this with theNintendo Switch 2: making sure the Switch library is playable on its successor.
According to Corden, another feature being worked on is the new Xbox controllers' “direct-to-cloud connectivity,” which will make it easier for players to switch controllers between different devices.
I would be a big fan of this innovation as someone who hates constantly having to repair their Xbox controller.
