Xbox-branded handheld coming this year, new consoles in 2027: report

Xbox will reportedly dive deeper into the handheld gaming PC space this year.

According to Windows Central, Microsoft has partnered with a yet-to-be-revealed OEM (original equipment manufacturer) on an Xbox-branded handheld gaming PC codenamed “Keenan.” Intended to launch by the end of 2025, Keenan is said to look unmistakably “Xbox” thanks to an official Xbox guide button and other buttons. It’s also expected to run a full version of Windows 11, given the Microsoft partnership.

This comes after Microsoft itself talked earlier this year about wanting to “bring the best of Xbox and Windows together” into a PC handheld. As Microsoft VP Jason Ronald told The Verge at CES, the two brands have largely been kept separate, leading the company to want to lean on their respective strengths in a single product. While he noted that “it’s going to be a journey and I think you’ll see a lot of investments over time,” he did tease that “we’ll have a lot more to share later this year.”

So far, Microsoft has partnered with a few OEMs in smaller capacities, like offering a Windows version of the Lenovo Legion Go S or official Xbox Cloud Gaming support on Logitech’s G Cloud. However, Keenan would, in theory, give the hardware more of a dedicated Xbox design and, presumably, have other Microsoft software benefits.

It should be noted, however, that Xbox has also teased a dedicated Xbox handheld. Presumably, this would be more in line with the Nintendo Switch in terms of being a piece of first-party hardware. Windows Central notes that this proprietary portable Xbox, as well as the next-gen successor to the Xbox Series X/S, are targeting 2027 launches. Microsoft CEO of Gaming Phil Spencer recently acknowledged that PlayStation and Xbox consoles are too similar and said he wants his company’s future gaming hardware to be more innovative, so it remains to be seen how Microsoft might achieve that.

For now, though, we’ll have to see what Xbox is seemingly doing with OEM partners. Traditionally, the company holds a big Xbox Games Showcase in June, although “Keenan” being a more PC-centric device means it could be unveiled during a different Microsoft event.

Source: Windows Central