Microsoft Wanted to Launch an Xboy Handheld but Canceled It Because of Xbox 360

Microsoft is betting big on its Xbox console, and it’s now making it part of the Windows 10 ecosystem, but before the 360 actually got to see daylight, the company had different plans for its gaming efforts.

Robbie Bach, who is a former Chief Xbox Officer, has said in an interview with IGN that Microsoft actually wanted to develop an Xbox handheld called “Xboy or X something,” but the company had to cancel it because the full focus was on Xbox 360.

Bach explains that a prototype of this device has never been built, but “there were definitely drawings,” only that there was a huge problem at that moment: Microsoft was working hard on getting the Xbox 360 ready, so focusing on a project such as the Xboy would have impacted the development of the key product.

“It was a great idea, but we just couldn’t do it,” Bach says, adding that Microsoft didn’t ...