Microsoft Just Announced Its Next Xbox – And It Fits in Your Hands

These handhelds, while built by Asus, come with deep integration from Microsoft’s Xbox and Windows teams.

By DTD- On Jun 14, 2025

ISLAMABAD: Microsoft has offered a subtle yet significant glimpse into the future of Xbox while unveiling its collaboration with Asus to launch two Xbox-branded Ally handhelds later this year. Though the devices technically run on Windows, Microsoft is blurring the line between PC and console with a custom-built, full-screen Xbox UI that launches at boot, bypassing the traditional Windows desktop entirely.

Multi-Device Sync

During the reveal, Microsoft confidently declared, “This is an Xbox,” one that expands beyond the living room console to include a multi-device ecosystem. The company’s focus appears to be moving from fixed hardware toward a platform that follows players everywhere, including portable PCs and cloud-enabled devices.

These handhelds, while built by Asus, come with deep integration from Microsoft’s Xbox and Windows teams. Users will boot directly into an Xbox-like interface, using the Xbox app to access their game libraries, including Xbox Game Pass, Steam, and apps like Discord.

The unveiling was accompanied by an 11-minute behind-the-scenes video, echoing the dramatic production style of the Xbox One X (“Project Scorpio”) reveal in 2016. Veteran designer Carl Ledbetter, who helped shape the Xbox 360 Slim and Xbox One X, described the project as a “breakthrough moment for Xbox.”