Xbox leadership shakeup reiterates that handhelds are part of next-gen roadmap

A new job promotion under Xbox's management team could hint at a handheld-based future for Microsoft.

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Through a series of interviews, Xbox gaming CEO Phil Spencer has teased that Microsoft wants to make an Xbox handheld. There's just two problems: Microsoft has a bad track record with hardware profitability, especially Xbox consoles; and two, Microsoft has never actually made a gaming handheld before (but they did make phones),

So that's why Microsoft has been drumming up interest and helping mature the nascent-but-growing handheld market in its own way, through third-party deals, advertisement promos with Game Pass, and strong marketing campaigns like the recent "this is an Xbox" barrage. LG signed such a deal with Microsoft to promote its Logitech G Cloud handheld. Microsoft is essentially finding ways to bolster the handheld market while not actually having to produce any hardware of its own.

The reality is that handheld is important for Xbox, and that's not going to change any time soon.

It shouldn't be a surprise then when Microsoft is in attendance at Lenovo's big new CES 2025 event, which will unveil the new Legion Go S handheld powered by Steam OS.

Xbox's Jason Ronald, who has been instrumental in helping design the 9th generation of Xbox Series hardware, will be at the event. Only Ronald has a new job.

The new job promotion seems to further cement handheld gaming as an integral part of Xbox.

Ronald was previously Vice President, Xbox Gaming Devices & Ecosystem at Xbox, but according to The Verge, Ronald is now Vice President of Next-Generation at Xbox.

The VP of Xbox's next-gen team is going to a handheld event for a third-party partner. Interesting times, these.

There have been reports that Microsoft is currently testing out and experimenting with its own first-party Xbox handheld hardware, but despite snippets and assurances from Xbox CEO Phil Spencer, there hasn't been much in the way of any official announcements.