July 1st 2024.
There have been rumors circulating about a new Xbox portable device, similar to the Steam Deck, and it seems as though those rumors have gained even more traction with the recent leak of a very hand-held friendly dashboard.
At this point, it almost feels like an understatement to refer to Xbox's plans to release a next gen handheld console as just a mere rumor. Xbox boss Phil Spencer himself has been dropping hints for quite some time now, openly expressing his admiration for the Steam Deck and other PC devices. In fact, back in June, he essentially confirmed that Xbox was working on their own version of this concept.
The only thing missing from all of this speculation was any sort of visual evidence, but now it seems that has also surfaced, albeit from an unexpected source.
During a recent episode of Top Gear, which has nothing to do with Xbox or consoles, there was a brief clip showcasing a Robotaxi. However, what caught people's attention was not the car itself, but rather the dashboard featured in the shot. It was clearly not the usual Xbox dashboard, leading many to believe that this could be a sneak peek at the new portable device.
It's highly unlikely that Xbox would have created a custom dashboard specifically for a Croatian electric car maker, so it's safe to assume that this is in fact a glimpse of the upcoming portable device.
The leaked dashboard appears to have a similar design to the blades from the Xbox 360 era, which has excited many fans. The clip only shows a few seconds of the dashboard, but it's enough to see that games such as Halo Infinite, Fortnite, and The Finals are featured.
While Microsoft has previously hinted at a 2026 release for their next gen console, it wouldn't be surprising if they released a new version of the dashboard, specifically designed for a portable device, before then. This would give people a chance to get familiar with the concept before the console is actually released.
Interestingly, none of Spencer's hints have specifically mentioned the next gen console. While it's assumed that's what he's referring to, it's also possible that Xbox could release a portable device this generation, and then another one in 2026. But of course, this is all just speculation and we'll need an official announcement from Xbox to know for sure.
However, the fact that a new dashboard has been leaked could suggest that a hardware announcement could be coming sooner rather than later, especially if it's something that will be used on both home consoles and the portable device.
The Top Gear clip certainly implies this, but it's hard to say how much time will pass between the unveiling of the dashboard and the actual release of the handheld device.
So, is this all just a tease or is it a glimpse of what's to come? Only time will tell. But in the meantime, if you have any thoughts or opinions on this potential new device, feel free to email us, leave a comment, follow us on Twitter, and sign up for our newsletter.
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