Do you think that Microsoft is ever going to develop a portable XBox console?

[Rocketman]

So this generation Sony and Nintendo have their Vitas and 3DS portable consoles. Makes me kind of wonder where Microsoft is in all of this. Granted, Microsoft does have their claws heavily invested in the PC and mobile gaming markets but do you think they'll ever make their own portable console to compete with Sony and Nintendo? I think it has some potential. Gears of War and Halo seem like franchises that might work with portable devices for me.

 

[MetalSwift]

I don't see it. If they did, they'd attempt it once and if there's no success or few sales we'll hear nothing else of it in the future. Like the sales would have to be mammoth in the U.S and Europe because Microsoft just can't catch a break in Japan where handhelds are a big deal.

 

[ThunderSteel]

I'll take the opposite side of MetalSwift's view and say if Microsoft can actually break into Japan this time, just maybe. On the other hand, Microsoft mentioned that mobile is the approach they're taking with portable gaming back in 2012. However if they decide to go into actual portable gaming they'll bring back N-Gage since they have Nokia.

 

[Blackwidow800]

Oh my gosh, I've been dreaming of this since I was 13. I remember frantically searching the internet for rumors. Man, I'd buy one if they did.

 

[Rocketman]

I think another interesting market would be China. If I remember correctly, they ended their gaming console ban recently. Since China still has lots of tension with Japan, they might be a better market for an American console than a Japanese one. Maybe in a few years. We'll have to see what happens.

 

[jstep]

Yeah, I think they will stick with mobile as their "portable" avenue. Plus, I think that Nintendo has the handheld market fairly locked down. It would be pretty tough to be successful at this point without an amazing product. The PSP was meh...the Vita, well, the Vita still isn't nearly as popular as the 3DS or the WiiU.

 

[MetalSwift]

I feel that Sony dropped in a little late on the portable market. By the time they jumped in with PSP, Nintendo was three generations deep in the portable game and had 15 years built up. It's one thing to pop up in the console game and get your beak wet, many companies have done that over the years with little success, but there was generally room for a solid three consoles. As for portable, you always had Nintendo, and for varying amounts of time and for varying amounts of success Sega, Sony, Nokia, SNK, Bandai, and like...Tiger.

...and Tiger barely counts.

 

[Rocketman]

I think that what Sony and Microsoft really need to be competitive with Nintendo in portable markets is to create memorable mascot characters that will appeal to kids and casual gamers. Right now, the kinds of games we are seeing on Xbox and Playstation that are trying to appeal to these audiences are artsy looking games. Of course, we have the hardcore mascots like Master Chief and Solid Snake but I don't think just focusing on those will give them enough of a market.

 

[dannyboy]

It would awesome if they do something like that.

 

[firelily99]

They might but I wonder if they would market it in the US. I really don't know much about the portable markets but it seems to me that they would probably want to be more in step with the consoles and some of the other technology that is being developed. Basically it is what the most financially lucrative market will be for them.

 

[deathbyprayer]

No, I don't think MS will ever launch a handheld console. Think about it, if they're actually planning on launching one, they would've launched it right after the PSP was released. I think they're just not into it. There are rumors of a portable Xbox back then though but I don't think MS will do that. The only thing I can see for MS on handhelds is if they buy the Nvidia Shield.

 

[jbeavis100]

I don't think so, I think they recognize that Nintendo owns the portable market.. Sony just doesn't see that yet.. They will soon enough..