Mobile devices have a long and illustrious history in the gaming world. Although many consoles had technically come before it, Nintendo's Game Boy broke new ground for mobile gaming by providing an NES-level experience almost anywhere, anytime. Nintendo continues to prove itself in the handheld space by Game Boy iterations later, and the company set a new standard for the entire industry with the release of the Nintendo DS in 2006. But while PlayStation has tried to compete with Nintendo in the mobile space, Xbox It's still clear, but that's about to change.
After more than a year of speculation and rumors, Phil Spencer confirmed in a recent interview with Bloomberg that Xbox is indeed in the process of developing a mobile device. Admittedly, Spencer also claimed that it would be a few more years before fans got the hang of it. will see it in the market But when the Xbox handheld finally appeared? It has one clear feature that definitely sets it apart from its competitors.
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The Xbox Handheld will have an Ace Up Sleeve.
Xbox's mobile devices may have some serious competition.
The mobile market is arguably busier than ever. The Nintendo Switch is now seven years old and has sold more than 140 million units along with its Lite and OLED models, despite its hardware being noticeably inferior to the latest PlayStation and Xbox consoles. clearly But the Switch's handheld nature and brand recognition are high. And its family-friendly slant kept the Switch at the top of the gaming world for a decade.
Back in 2022, Valve thought it would try to make a portable console. In the two years since its release, Steam Deck has been widely praised as one of the best portable devices ever. It can play the most demanding modern games with very few limitations.
The handheld console market may look a bit different by the time Xbox devices hit store shelves. But maybe not much. The successor to the Nintendo Switch is slated to launch next year, and Valve has confirmed that a second-generation Steam Deck is in development. So the Xbox mobile competition might not be any different than it is now.
Additionally, a recent report from Bloomberg suggests that PlayStation is still in the early stages of developing a new portable console. If so Xbox's mobile device will also have some serious competition when it finally launches.
Xbox Game Pass may be the Xbox Handheld's secret weapon.
Last year, Xbox tried to market the idea that Xbox wasn't just a console. But it's also anything that can run Xbox apps. Xbox Game Pass has led the way in recent marketing pushes, with ads often showing players enjoying their subscriptions across Xbox, PC, mobile, and devices. other Various through cloud streaming
When the Xbox handheld was officially revealed It's entirely possible that Xbox Game Pass will be the primary selling point of Xbox Game Pass, and with good reason. Putting Xbox Game Pass front and center on upcoming mobile devices will be a huge benefit to both. In the short term and long term
In short, Xbox portable players will have access to a vast library of hundreds of games. without additional costs And with the Xbox Game Pass library, there's a wide variety of gaming experiences. Players will be able to test the power of their mobile consoles right away, with countless AAA and indie games ready and waiting from day one.
In the long run, Xbox Game Pass will give mobile players an ever-changing library of games to keep coming back to. Moreover, even if PlayStation mobile devices replace the PS Plus game library, Game Pass will still be able to deliver. Comparatively, because PS Plus won't be adding first-party games to the service on day one. And this advantage will only sharpen over time. This is because first-party offerings from Xbox right now include Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, and Activision-Blizzard.
