In this exchange, which also discusses Microsoft's next growth levers (mobile, China) as well as the absence of restrictions concerning Xbox games which can be ported to Sony and Nintendo consoles, Phil Spencer confirmed that the design of a portable machine is now a concrete project. “ We can be expected to do something in this area », dit Phil Spencer.
But what, exactly? It is still far too early to know, as Microsoft is still in an observation and prototyping phase. Phil Spencer asked his teams to carefully observe the market and learn the necessary lessons about the path a portable Xbox should take. In any case, there is no point expecting to see something officially emerge before a certain number of years.
But unlike Nintendo, which merged its two production lines into one to form the Switch, Microsoft does not intend to settle for a portable machine. Sarah Bond, head of hardware at Xbox, had in any case announced at the start of the year that the group was already working on a new generation of console which will, according to her, provide the greatest technical leap ever observed between two generations. An ambition launched early in a delicate context for Xbox Series consoles, whose sales began to decline abnormally early, in 2022.
Until the portable Xbox comes to fruition, Microsoft designers and engineers will focus on improving the Xbox application for current portable devices, with the application functioning ” good, but not excellent » on these devices, recognizes Phil Spencer. “ In the long term, I would like us to build our own devices. I think our team could bring real innovations, but we first want to learn from what's happening today. »
Furthermore, Microsoft's project to launch its own online store for mobile games has been delayed, always with the aim of better understanding how the market works, and especially to observe the evolution of regulatory disputes which may still force Apple and Google to make it easier to set up third-party stores on iOS and Android devices. So teams continue to engage with mobile developers, including those working on Candy Crush and Call of Duty Mobile, to come up with a plan. “ A web store would allow someone to avoid going through an app store to install something, but you still need to find a way to make it visible », comments Phil Spencer.
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