Microsoft Pauses First-Party Xbox Handheld Development to Enhance Windows 11 for Portables

Okay, so here’s the deal with Microsoft and their whole handheld gaming escapade… or lack thereof. Apparently, they’ve decided to hit the pause button on their own Xbox handheld gadget. Why, you ask? Well, they’re too busy fiddling with getting Windows 11 to play nice on those little gaming devices and throwing their weight behind whatever Asus is cooking up. Ever heard of this thing called ‘Kennan’? Yeah, me neither, but that’s what it’s all about now, according to some folks over at Windows Central.

Now, I didn’t want to get too nerdy, but you know how everyone’s all excited about SteamOS, right? It’s been working some magic on Windows 11 handhelds – I mean, have you seen that Lenovo Legion Go S? It’s running both SteamOS and Windows 11 like it’s no big deal. Sure, you might have to kiss Game Pass goodbye, but for some folks out there, that’s a fair trade for killer performance.

So, if you’re catching up on the Xbox handheld gossip, here’s the scoop: Microsoft had this ambitious plan to roll out not just one but multiple gaming doodads. Something about an internal project and teaming up with Asus – which, by the way, led to “Project Kennan.” Rumor has it, we might actually see this thing later this year. Maybe. If the stars align.

Anyway, back to Microsoft’s own gizmo – it was supposed to be something special, you know, like playing full-on Xbox games in your hands. But, sigh, it’s on the back burner now, simmering away, maybe forever.

And if you’re scratching your head thinking, what’s the big whoop with Windows 11 and SteamOS? Well, they’re skirmishing for the top spot in this handheld race. With SteamOS focusing more on performance, and Windows clinging to its vast ecosystem, it’s like a digital tug-of-war.

So, yeah, if you want to keep up with all this tech drama, maybe follow Tom’s Hardware on Google News. Or not. Your call.

Oh, and by the way, am I the only one who thinks the word ‘ecosystem’ sounds oddly sci-fi? Like something out of a space movie. Just me? Okay.