The portable console market may have lost one of its potential protagonists even before she saw the light. According to rumors that are circulating in specialized environments, Microsoft would have definitively set aside the plans to develop an Xbox portable console, a decision that would mark a turning point in the Redmond company’s strategies. The reasons behind this choice seem to be linked to economic and commercial issues that go far beyond simple technical considerations.
The source of the revelations is Kepler L2, a leaker specialized in AMD products that has earned a solid reputation thanks to accurate forecasts on the processors and consoles in past years. According to his information, the American giant would have clashed with AMD’s requests for the production of a chip dedicated to the portable console. The semiconductors manufacturer would have placed a minimum order of more than 10 million units as a condition to justify the necessary investments in research and development.
To understand the scope of this request, just observe the commercial performance of the devices already on the market. Steam Deck di Valve reached about 5 million units sold, while Asus Rog Ally stopped no more than 2 million pieces. Faced with these data, Microsoft would have preferred not to run the risk of engaging in such a massive production.
The decision to abandon the project of the portable console is part of a wider context of strategic transformation for Microsoft. In fact, the company seems to orient itself more and more towards the role of third -party publisher, a direction that could reduce interest in new owners. This evolution would represent a significant change of paradigm compared to the traditional rivalry with Sony and Nintendo in the console sector.
Although Microsoft has never made official the existence of the project, the company managers had hinted on several occasions that a portable console was being developed. These statements had fueled the expectations of fans, making the news of any cancellation even more sensational.
With the abandonment of the internal project, Microsoft has reorieved its portable strategy towards external collaborations. The most concrete result of this approach is the Rog Xbox Ally, developed in partnership with Asus and arriving on the market on October 16. The device, despite a decidedly high price, is already enjoying a considerable commercial interest, so much so that it is sold out in many shops even before the official launch.
This choice to rely on external partners could prove winning for Microsoft, allowing the company to test the market without the enormous investments required for the development of owner hardware. The strategy reflects a more cautious and pragmatic approach, which takes into account the real dimensions of a market still relatively niche such as that of the portable consoles for advanced gaming.
