Microsoft plans to merge Windows and Xbox for handheld gaming in 2025 Valve's SteamOS aims to be integrated into all gaming handhelds Microsoft must succeed with its hybrid to compete with Valve's expansion efforts.

I’ve been writing for more than a year about how Microsoft needs to overhaul Windows on handhelds and use an Xbox OS UI on top, keeping the complexity of the Windows desktop hid

Jason Ronald, Microsoft's VP of Next Generation, wants to bring "the best of Xbox and Windows together" on existing gaming handheld PCs.

If Microsoft actually pulls this one off, the world of handheld gaming consoles could be forever changed, and its goals are certainly ambitious.

“I would say it’s bringing the best of Xbox and Windows together, because we have spent the last 20 years building a world-class operating system, but it’s really locked to the console,” says Ronald. “What we’re doing is we’re really focused on how do we bring those experiences for both players and developers to the broader Windows ecosystem.”

Microsoft says it’s going to be bringing Xbox experiences to PC gaming handhelds, a move that should drastically improve the user experience on these machines. Ever since the first Windows 11 handhelds were released,

Microsoft is looking to improve its Windows operating system on handheld PCs such as the Asus ROG Ally X and Lenovo Legion Go by making the software more like an Xbox console. Microsoft vice president of Next Generation Jason Ronald said at a CES 2025 panel this shift is planned for 2025 and told The Verge it looks to bring "the best of Xbox and Windows together.

Xbox has been surprisingly open about its plans for the next generation of the system. This includes a handheld device, which has been confirmed to be in the works for quite some time. While attending CES,

"Our goal is to put the player and their library at the center of the experience and not all the work that you have to do today"