Microsoft is aware of the problems running Windows on the Steam Deck and other similar handheld Windows PCs, and at least some developers inside the company have spent time thinking of ways to address them. That’s the thrust of a leaked presentation (posted in two parts by Twitter user _h0x0d_) about a new “Handheld Mode” for Windows, developed as part of an internal Microsoft hackathon in September 2022.
Microsoft employees have shown off a concept for what an optimized Windows user interface could look like on Valve's Steam Deck handheld PC, and by extension, how Windows gaming would operate on that system. In a leaked video posted online by Twitter user h0x0d (via The Verge), the pitch details all of the problems that Steam Deck users have with trying to get Windows running on the handheld hardware, and it originates from a Microsoft Hackathon that was held in September 2022.
This internal event, where employees pitch ideas to Microsoft higher-ups in order to get support for them, saw the team present a prototype operating system for the Steam Deck. Led by senior UX designer Dorothy Feng, the launcher allows for games to be opened up from multiple storefronts such as the PC version of Game Pass, Steam, Epic Games Store, and more. Other improvements include an optimized keyboard and a floating taskbar.
As presented, Handheld Mode includes several components: a new first-time setup screen that simplifies driver installation and setup; an improved touchscreen keyboard that fits better on a 7-inch screen and can be controlled Xbox-style with the built-in buttons and joysticks; a simplified Nintendo Switch-esque game launcher; and improved OS-wide controller support thanks to the open source Steamdeck Windows Controller Driver (SWICD) project. The presentation also calls for other changes to Windows' default behaviors, like always opening apps in full-screen mode when in Handheld Mode, better UI scaling for small screens, and "mapping of controls to common Windows functions."
While this project may never ship, it’s encouraging to see Microsoft employees pushing for it to happen. Microsoft was quick to support Xbox Cloud Gaming on the Steam Deck, but we’ve heard little about its Windows ambitions for handheld gaming outside of this leaked presentation.
A number of Switch-like handheld gaming devices from GPD and OneXPlayer or even the Ayaneo 2 have been relying on Windows without an optimized UI from Microsoft. That means companies have to build their own interfaces and launchers to make Windows more controller and handheld friendly.
There are signs that we’ll start to see even more Windows handheld devices soon, too. Asus just announced its ROG Ally, which aims to go head to head with the Steam Deck and is powered by a customized Ryzen APU from AMD and Windows 11. A Windows handheld mode certainly make a lot of sense right now.
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/l...g-could-look-like-on-steam-deck/1100-6513227/
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/202...-make-it-work-better-on-steam-deck-style-pcs/
Microsoft employees have shown off a concept for what an optimized Windows user interface could look like on Valve's Steam Deck handheld PC, and by extension, how Windows gaming would operate on that system. In a leaked video posted online by Twitter user h0x0d (via The Verge), the pitch details all of the problems that Steam Deck users have with trying to get Windows running on the handheld hardware, and it originates from a Microsoft Hackathon that was held in September 2022.
This internal event, where employees pitch ideas to Microsoft higher-ups in order to get support for them, saw the team present a prototype operating system for the Steam Deck. Led by senior UX designer Dorothy Feng, the launcher allows for games to be opened up from multiple storefronts such as the PC version of Game Pass, Steam, Epic Games Store, and more. Other improvements include an optimized keyboard and a floating taskbar.
As presented, Handheld Mode includes several components: a new first-time setup screen that simplifies driver installation and setup; an improved touchscreen keyboard that fits better on a 7-inch screen and can be controlled Xbox-style with the built-in buttons and joysticks; a simplified Nintendo Switch-esque game launcher; and improved OS-wide controller support thanks to the open source Steamdeck Windows Controller Driver (SWICD) project. The presentation also calls for other changes to Windows' default behaviors, like always opening apps in full-screen mode when in Handheld Mode, better UI scaling for small screens, and "mapping of controls to common Windows functions."
While this project may never ship, it’s encouraging to see Microsoft employees pushing for it to happen. Microsoft was quick to support Xbox Cloud Gaming on the Steam Deck, but we’ve heard little about its Windows ambitions for handheld gaming outside of this leaked presentation.
A number of Switch-like handheld gaming devices from GPD and OneXPlayer or even the Ayaneo 2 have been relying on Windows without an optimized UI from Microsoft. That means companies have to build their own interfaces and launchers to make Windows more controller and handheld friendly.
There are signs that we’ll start to see even more Windows handheld devices soon, too. Asus just announced its ROG Ally, which aims to go head to head with the Steam Deck and is powered by a customized Ryzen APU from AMD and Windows 11. A Windows handheld mode certainly make a lot of sense right now.
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/l...g-could-look-like-on-steam-deck/1100-6513227/
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/202...-make-it-work-better-on-steam-deck-style-pcs/