Huge update on future of Xbox handheld console

Microsoft looks to be ramping up preparation of a rumoured handheld console as a top executive from the company is attending a 'future of gaming handheld' event, according to a report.

Jason Ronald, who is the VP of Xbox Gaming Devices and Ecosystem, is said to be attending the 'Lenovo Legion x AMD: The Future of Gaming Handhelds' event in Las Vegas on or before 7 January 2025.

Ronald is now being introduced as 'VP of Next Generation', reports The Verge.

Phil Spencer, Microsoft's top gaming boss, recently said to Bloomberg the company is looking at "doing something" with handhelds and is actively working on an Xbox handheld prototype.

However this is still years away.

Ronald's attendance at the event may not have anything to do with an Xbox handheld console at all but it seems Microsoft is keen to have its name out there in terms of handheld or remote gaming and Ronald had a big role in developing the Xbox Series X/S.

Xbox has been big on promoting its Game Pass of late as part of a new strategy focusing on this instead of just games releasing on its own consoles.

At the event, it's understood Lenovo will unveil its own handheld called Legion Go, which features a SteamOS.

Handheld consoles seem to be rising in popularity - anticipation for the Nintendo Switch 2 console is at fever pitch with the amount of leaks there have been and the PS Portal has performed better than Sony expected, which is now capable of streaming certain games directly without the need to be connected through a PS5.

The Steam Deck continues to prove popular too.

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