Xbox’s leaked next-gen console isn’t what we expected

One of Xbox’s upcoming consoles has leaked online, and it hasn’t gone down well with fans who just don’t see the point in the device.

With Nintendo and PlayStation already doing it, it was only a matter of time before Xbox produced a handheld console made to compete with the Nintendo Switch/Switch 2 and PlayStation Portal.

Of course, the Nintendo Switch 2 has more value because it’ll actually have new games that come with it.

While Xbox hasn’t officially unveiled its new handheld, the product has leaked online - and it’s already being slated.

In collaboration with ASUS, the new handheld boasts an all-white design - though I’d imagine it’ll come in black too at some point - with the usual Xbox controller buttons and analogue sticks.

Personally, I think it’s quite ugly but the reason it’s caused such an uproar is because many don’t understand why they’d need an Xbox handheld when Valve’s Steam Deck would presumably make more sense to own.

What the new device does presumably have over its competitors is the option to run independently from a console or PC, something the PlayStation Portal can’t do as that’s a streaming device only.

It’s worth waiting until Xbox officially announces it and confirms what the handheld's capabilities are, but at a glance, it looks like the only reason you’d get one is because it’d be cheaper than a Steam Deck, and that’s unconfirmed at the time of writing.

Adding to this, it’s a bit of a bold move to release a new console after the company jacked up the price of hardware the other week. Even worse is that it’ll soon be increasing the price of certain games, likely first-party titles.

Then there are more and more first-party titles like Gears Of War being released on PlayStation, making you wonder who exactly Xbox products will be for by the end of the year as we head into 2026.