IT Home reported on May 1 that the news about Microsoft's development of the Xbox game handheld first appeared in an FTC document last year. In March of this year, a well-known source further broke the news that Microsoft plans to launch its first portable gaming console in 2026.
Now, Microsoft is adding fuel to the fire by sending out a questionnaire. The questionnaire asked participants about their current handheld gaming devices, and further asked what they think of handheld gaming PCs and whether it matters whether the ability to stream games through Xbox Game Pass is important.
One of the intriguing questions noted by IT House is whether participants will consider buying another handheld gaming PC in the next five years. Another interesting question is what motivated them to buy a handheld gaming PC in the first place. Both of these issues imply that Microsoft is working on an Xbox handheld gaming device.
Questions about Xbox Game Pass suggest that Microsoft is still weighing whether to focus more on gaming services or launch its own hardware devices. It's worth mentioning that the March revelation said that Microsoft was working on a prototype for a new handheld gaming device, and it's unclear whether its specs will be superior to similar products currently on the market. Considering that the potential launch date is in 2026, if Microsoft chooses to partner with AMD, then it is likely that the device will come with a Zen 6 CPU and RDNA 5 integrated graphics at that time.