Microsoft is coming in late to the party.
If you’ve been in the handheld scene for a little while now, you’ll know that there have been whispers of an Xbox-branded handheld console in the works. It makes a ton of sense; there’s already a ton of gaming handhelds out there that run Windows 11, and Microsoft is by no means a stranger to creating gaming hardware.
The company has an uphill battle if it wants to enter the handheld gaming market right now. Not only has the Steam Deck made its mark on the industry, but it has also sparked a wave of competitors who have created their own takes on portable gaming PCs. As such, here are some things that Microsoft needs to nail if it wants its own console to do well.
Controls that are on par with the Xbox Controller quality
Anything else would be a disappointment
Despite not owning an Xbox, I have an Xbox Series X controller kicking around. Why? Because I absolutely adore it for PC gaming. Something about the build quality and how the sticks and d-pad feel keeps me re-purchasing Xbox controllers whenever I need one to play specific games on PC.
So imagine if Microsoft comes out with a handheld and the controller feels nothing like the same quality as the Xbox controller.
