Microsoft is combining “the best of Xbox and Windows together” for handhelds
The Windows handheld gaming experience may change in 2025.
Seemingly confirming the theory that "Xbox" will just be Windows going forward, at least on handhelds.
I’m not a big Linux person, but the steam deck NOT being windows seems like a plus generally. >_>
I was using Lenovo's handheld a few weeks before release and was really impressed by the specs until I turned it on and it was windows and I made an audible laugh. They were saying I had no idea what I was talking about and how windows was the future of handheld gaming. Which made me laugh some more, guess who's making a SteamOS handheld now?
Anything Microsoft built lately is dogshit. They turned Windows into a steaming pile of shit over the past 20 years. When you think it can’t get any worse, they somehow raise the bar on disappointment.
No doubt it will be loaded with a shit ton of tracking/telemetry to build new datasets and train LLMs. Mining data from kids/teenagers and building those ad profiles early on is key.
Repairability will likely be shit as well.
I think the timing of this news coming so close after Valve announcing the SteamOS beta shows that Microsoft might actually be afraid.
The timing is because CES is happening right now. Microsoft has been eyeing this use case since at least the launch of the Steam Deck.
probably started more around the switch. it takes microsoft forever to invent copy something.
Ah, that makes more sense.
And to think that this all started because Gabe was afraid that microsoft's "app store" would hurt Steam so he decided to fully embrace Linux to in preparation. I bet not even Gabe expected back then that the situation would be as it is today.
I was hoping I'd fly under the radar will they have their heads deep in llm ass, but Gaben basically mortally wounded Windows and it's bleeding out
The best of windows? Windows 11 is shit. Is there some better windows they are hiding somewhere?
The best of Windows is running more than just games that got ported to Xbox, and at better settings.
Yes, it's called Windows 7.
Get fucked. After all the shit I've seen them pulling with Windows 11 they'll never get a dime out of me again. I'll ride my win 10 until it's out of support then switch to Linux. Fuck monopolies, and fuck enshittification for profit.
Isn't steam about to no longer support 10?
No.
Couldn't even find a rumor of it. It wouldn't make sense for steam to stop supporting such a large part of their userbase.
Pass.
“Xbox” will just be Windows going forward, at least on handhelds.
We've come full circle, almost like a red ring of death.
I just don't get why they didn't think of quickly porting the Xbox interface over to desktop Windows. Should have been an easy fix to make handheld gaming on Windows more appealing.
It's a lot more than that. SteamOS isn't just Steam Big Picture Mode. There's some special sauce in there to capture the active window so that you never lose focus of the game window and such. If you just run a Windows machine set to boot into Steam Big Picture on startup, you'll find lots of times that you have to break out a keyboard to Alt+Tab for a variety of reasons that SteamOS never encounters. And given the other problems Windows has introduced over the past decade, that's the least of their problems now.
RROD was actually 3/4ths of a circle. A full red circle was a different and less troubling error.
Get an Xbox PC app for Steam Deck then, Microsoft.
I'm going to imagine Xbox would love to. But Microsoft is stopping them. They'd stop android and ios too if they still had windows phone.
People think Xbox is shit at the moment. Making things more like xbox isnt received as positively as it used to be. When I was a windows user and I saw anything Xbox related come up I knew I was about to deal with some clunky bullshit that was not wanted and poorly implemented.
So.... Are they selling a box full of hot air? That's the best marketing stunt ever
Key quote:
Microsoft is looking at combining Xbox and Windows experiences together — and that we should see changes this very year, rather than needing to wait for an Xbox handheld that might still be years away
So there probably will be an xbox handheld, but don't hold your breath. In the meantime they actually are a little worried about how much SteamOS is showing Windows up.
They obviously mean steamOS haha
the best of Xbox and Windows together
I am beyond thrilled
!Big fucking /s!<
No more windows please, I'm sick of it.
