Microsoft says the Surface gaming laptop dream is dead

Microsoft has officially abandoned plans for a Surface gaming laptop, with Corporate VP Brett Ostrum confirming the company won't enter this market segment. PCWorld reports that Microsoft believes the gaming laptop market is already healthy with existing partners, preferring to support the Windows ecosystem rather than compete directly. Instead, Microsoft is focusing on Project Helix, which aims to merge console and PC gaming experiences, potentially creating new Xbox hardware innovations. For years, consumers have wondered if Microsoft would ship a gaming laptop. We have an answer, at least from the Surface side of the house: No. Brett Ostrum, the corporate vice president of Surface Devices at Microsoft, told PCWorld that Microsoft doesn't feel obligated to ship a gaming laptop with the Surface brand attached. It was a timely question, as Microsoft is navigating the role of Surface devices in this new era of budget laptops -- dictated by the Apple MacBook Neo and the Dell XPS 13 -- versus the stratospheric prices Microsoft charged for the recent Surface Laptop and Pro for Business .