Microsoft is working on ways to make gaming more convenient on PCs and handheld devices this year, by combining "the best of Xbox and Windows."
In an interview with The Verge at CES 2025, Microsoft's vice president of "next generation" Jason Ronald says the team is working on ways to use their knowledge of gaming consoles and their PC expertise to improve the gaming experience on Windows PCs and handhelds.
"I would say it's bringing the best of Xbox and Windows together, because we have spent the last 20 years building a world-class operating system, but it's really locked to the console," says Ronald. "We're really focused on how we bring those experiences for both players and developers to the broader Windows ecosystem."
Xbox boss Phil Spencer has already confirmed that Xbox handheld prototypes are in the works, but it seems that Ronald is talking about a different project. Microsoft already has the Xbox Game Bar which does make gaming on Windows-powered handhelds more convenient, but Ronald says: "We're focused on really simplifying that and making it much more like a console experience. Our goal is to put the player and their library at the center of the experience and not all the work that you have to do today."
The reason improvements are needed is because "There's just certain things in Windows that were not designed for if you don't have a keyboard and mouse, like thumbstick support or joypads and stuff like that," explains Ronald. "At the end of the day, our goal is to make Windows great for gaming on any device [...] There's fundamental interaction models that we're working on to make sure that regardless of the operating system details it feels very natively like a gaming-centric device and a gaming-centric experience."
While Xbox's handheld is still years away, Ronald says that Microsoft will "have a lot more to share later this year" about making Windows work better for gaming devices.
