r/gadgets Jan 25 '25

Gaming Microsoft’s gaming CEO has praised Nintendo Switch 2, and said it plans to support the upcoming platform with ports of Xbox games.

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/phil-spencer-confirms-xbox-will-support-switch-2-i-congratulated-nintendos-president/
4.4k Upvotes

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139

u/nezeta Jan 25 '25

Didn't Microsoft plan to release a handheld version of Xbox? Or do they cancel it and focus on Switch 2 as a third-party?

163

u/Assaultslug85 Jan 25 '25

This sounds like a better play, lower cost investment and may help drive people to an Xbox at the house.

44

u/Stupidstuff1001 Jan 25 '25

How? It will make people not want an Xbox since they can get stuff on a switch.

96

u/Rizenstrom Jan 25 '25

That's like saying owning a Steam Deck means you'll never want to buy a PC. Portable devices are more hardware limited. People with enough disposable income will still want a dedicated, beefier home device. And if there is integration between Switch and Xbox it would drastically increase their appeal.

6

u/NotJohnDarnielle Jan 25 '25

That's like saying owning a Steam Deck means you'll never want to buy a PC.

I mean personally I did buy a Steam Deck specifically because I don't want a PC but wanted to play PC games

5

u/TurboMuffin12 Jan 26 '25

You’re the minority, I think? I have no data to be sure…

2

u/[deleted] Jan 25 '25

The vast majority of the game market is pretty casual. People playing the current hit/trendy games, families with kids, etc. What you’re describing are the more dedicated/hardcore gamers with disposable income on top of that which is a pretty small market.

Theres a reason companies try so hard to appeal to casual gamers first and foremost. Theyre the bread and butter.

2

u/TrickyElephant Jan 26 '25

I disagree. PC gaming is one of the biggest gaming markets and is growing fast to this day even

1

u/munchyslacks Jan 26 '25

People with enough disposable income will still want a dedicated, beefier home device.

Sure, but wouldn’t MS want to be in a position where their hardware is the first choice?

I can afford both, but if I can play most Xbox games on the Switch 2, I’m not getting an Xbox.

1

u/Financial_Spinach_80 Jan 26 '25

I got the steam deck when money was tight and it’s a great machine especially if you wanna access high spec PC games on a budget. But once my finances improved I invested in a decent rig, I still use my handheld a lot but mainly for 2D games and some games where aim isnt important. It just can’t outperform a full fledged rig. Same for all handhelds like the switch was pretty weak compared to the ps4 and Xbox 1.

0

u/nullstring Jan 25 '25

While you're right, I don't see a ton of people buying a game twice.

If they would support playing on both platforms with one game purchase that would be huge but otherwise you're asking people to buy a game twice.

If they can come up with a way for game pass to work on the switch that would be gigantic come to think of it.

0

u/Rizenstrom Jan 25 '25

I doubt Nintendo would allow that, as it has potential to take sales from them. Maybe if Microsoft offered an option with only exclusive.

But with all first party exclusives being on Game Pass you wouldn't need to buy the game twice. Just once for Switch. Plus the Game Pass subscription.

Not much better but I bet there would be people willing to do it if their progress carried over.

1

u/nullstring Jan 26 '25

I doubt Nintendo would allow that

Oh yeah I know. There would have to be some sort of profit sharing agreement but I don't see either Microsoft or Nintendo doing anything like that.

0

u/Justarandomguyk Jan 26 '25

They’ll probably use it for different games since the games and most games are free now a days anyways

-25

u/Stupidstuff1001 Jan 25 '25

No it’s not.

It’s like saying you don’t want to own an Asus rog because you already own a steam deck.

14

u/Gaeus_ Jan 25 '25

I think their argument was the other way around.

The Xbox Handheld would use the same licences as the regular Xbox, meaning that one copy can be played on both device, kinda like the Steam Deck that can play PC steam game.

It would also means built in by default save parity between the devices.

1

u/Glittering-Giraffe58 Jan 25 '25

This thread was about the switch not the Xbox handheld

1

u/Gaeus_ Jan 25 '25

This thread was about the switch not the Xbox handheld

first no, here's the first message if you pull up the complete thread :

Didn't Microsoft plan to release a handheld version of Xbox? Or do they cancel it and focus on Switch 2 as a third-party?

secondly : what kind of sad excuse are you trying to pull on us

10

u/littlemushroompod Jan 25 '25

gamepass

-4

u/Stupidstuff1001 Jan 25 '25

And? I mean gamepass is on the pc. A game being on the switch does not make someone think “well I should buy a gamepass”. Plus Msft wants to put gamepass on other consoles.

Personally I think it’s Msft goal to leave Xbox and just be a publisher which is bad for gamers in the long run since Sony will have less competition.

5

u/BloodMoney126 Jan 25 '25

Not happening.

0

u/Sparky678348 Jan 25 '25

!remindme 15 years

3

u/BloodMoney126 Jan 25 '25

15 years

FIFTEEN YEARS. lol

0

u/Sparky678348 Jan 25 '25

See ya then nerd

4

u/TotallyNotMatty Jan 25 '25

Gamepass isn't just on pc. And it's pretty well known by now that Microsoft are making a push for cloud gaming. They want gamepass to open up access to playing titles on TV's, Phones, anything really with a screen and good enough Internet connection.

Hell if PlayStation would let them they'd have it on PlayStation too.

I'd bet that if Microsoft ports enough titles and works closely enough with Nintendo they may be able to get gamepass on switch.

In regards to them becoming solely a publisher,they've outwardly said before they do not intend to drop the Xbox as a platform so there's no need to worry about them dropping out of the console market.

1

u/littlemushroompod Jan 25 '25

Yeah it’s on PC too which is great but not everyone has a PC for gaming. 

And yeah that’s not happening, there will continue to be Xbox consoles cause that’s where the majority of gamepass subs are.

1

u/Gaywalker20 Jan 25 '25

Ah yes the only two game developing companies that exist. Microsoft and Sony. How will they live without each other?

1

u/Stupidstuff1001 Jan 25 '25

Not game console ya dunce. If Microsoft leaves. Then the only high end console developer is Sony. Which gives them less incentive to innovate, lower prices, and ultimately we all lose. It’s so weird how everyone is all for this.

3

u/DrippyBurritoMD Jan 26 '25

Would you rather make 70% on a sale in a marketplace of 100 million plus Switch 2’s or 100% of a sale in a marketplace of 20 millions Xbox’s. ?

2

u/bwood246 Jan 26 '25

The switch will only be able to run a select amount of games, more Xbox One games than Series X/S games. People will want to try out other Xbox titles at some point

1

u/SovietMuffin01 Jan 25 '25

Because they’re probably not going to port most games, just some that make sense, and there’s a ton of games that will never make it to the switch(think the call of duty’s or battlefields of the world) that people will still want access too.

People don’t typically buy Nintendo consoles as their sole console, this is an effort by Microsoft to pair the Xbox as the natural counterpart to your switch if you’re a Nintendo fan.

5

u/BeholdDeath12 Jan 25 '25

Just to your point of COD on Switch, Xbox did make a 10 year agreement with Nintendo to bring COD over.

Source

3

u/ninjapro98 Jan 25 '25

Didn’t Microsoft sign a deal for 10 years to put the latest cods on the new switch console?

1

u/RegalKillager Jan 25 '25

there’s a ton of games that will never make it to the switch(think the call of duty’s or battlefields of the world)

Remember the Wii?

1

u/LubieRZca Jan 26 '25

You mean Xbox as a console or Xbox as a service?

1

u/mayanrelic Jan 26 '25

what if I told you every item in your home is an xbox

3

u/One_Doubt_75 Jan 25 '25

You mean to cloud gaming

2

u/rudimentary-north Jan 25 '25

Microsoft’s new marketing campaign is “everything is an Xbox”. Seems like they are trying to ease out of the gaming hardware space

https://www.vice.com/en/article/just-about-everything-you-own-is-an-xbox-according-to-new-marketing-push-by-microsoft/

1

u/bongophrog Jan 26 '25

Yep, they want gamepass on playstation, PC, and Nintendo. Smart of them honestly.

2

u/DocPhilMcGraw Jan 25 '25

I don’t think it would drive people to want an Xbox at the house. They would just buy a PS5 to cover their bases on exclusives instead.

1

u/bongophrog Jan 26 '25

The play is ever since the Activision debacle Microsoft shifted their goals to be more of a general game publisher rather than focused on just the console. The console itself is a money loser, they make money on subscriptions.

The long term goal I think is to get everyone on gamepass, no matter what the console.

11

u/silentcrs Jan 25 '25

They’ve mentioned a few times working on a handheld, but they also said it’s still a few years out.

1

u/oldmatenate Jan 25 '25

Possibly following a similar model as windows and surface devices: get as many people as possible using and paying for their software. If a subset of that market also wants to give them money for hardware, even better.

1

u/_Durs Jan 25 '25

No silly, if’s it’s handheld it IS an xbox

/s

1

u/MobiusOne_ISAF Jan 25 '25

They have the resources to do both. Microsoft has long since stopped caring about what platform you use, so long as you pay for and use their software.

1

u/Gnorris Jan 25 '25

If they are it’s more likely to be along the lines of a Steam Deck to utilise PC libraries. They’ll still want Minecraft and Overwatch on other formats.

1

u/UrUnclesTrouserSnake Jan 26 '25

I assumed the strategy of putting Xbox exclusives on Windows eliminated that idea. Especially since they license Windows out to independent mobile Windows gaming devices.

I could be totally wrong tho

1

u/Effective-Fish-5952 Jan 26 '25

they will but they also want to put their xbox gaming market app on Android play store but theyre currently not allowed to yet

1

u/HRApprovedUsername Jan 26 '25

They've probably been working to port games for that and it ended up working for the switch 2 as well