Microsoft has revealed its first Xbox co-branded handhelds, the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X, each collaborations with Asus. They are going to launch in the vacation interval of 2025, with pricing info not but revealed.
The Xbox Ally is being pitched as a “nice worth” generalist machine, whereas the Xbox Ally X is described as an “final high-performance” handheld for extra demanding gamers, not dissimilar to how Asus’ present ROG Ally and Ally X handhelds are pitched. Each use AMD processors.
These Home windows 11-enabled handhelds function Xbox-branded buttons, a gaming-focused interface, and an aggregated library function that brings gamers’ software program collectively from throughout completely different PC storefronts, in addition to the subscription library of Xbox Recreation Go.
On high of enjoying PC video games natively, the two handhelds can stream gamers’ console libraries utilizing Xbox Cloud Gaming and Distant Play.
The interface shall be acquainted to anybody who’s owned an Xbox console in the previous decade or so. The ‘Xbox full display expertise’ apparently optimises the Ally and Ally X particularly for gameplay performance. Non-essential duties are deferred by the machine, dedicating extra assets to enjoying video games, in keeping with Microsoft.
The contoured grips of the console have been apparently designed with the ideas behind Xbox’s wi-fi controllers in thoughts. Accessibility options from Xbox and Home windows shall be carried over to the handhelds. Xbox Play Wherever – the place a single sport buy capabilities throughout PC, console, and cloud gaming – extends to those gadgets too.
Every handheld has a devoted Xbox button to deliver up the Recreation Bar and swap immediately between apps and video games.
Launch territories for the Xbox Ally and Ally X are Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Eire, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Xbox says different territories the place ROG Ally merchandise are at present obtainable will comply with.
So: what’s Microsoft’s technique right here?
The Home windows issue
The ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X additional Microsoft’s goal for gamers’ sport libraries to come back with them regardless of which machine they’re utilizing. For gamers with each a PC and Xbox console, the approach save knowledge is synced seamlessly by the platform is one thing to behold. A handheld machine permits Xbox to increase that ecosystem one step additional, which shall be most welcome to some gamers.
However the battle right here is probably a a lot bigger one, and that is the place the Home windows 11 component of the new handhelds comes into play.
Home windows is talked up by Microsoft as a significant plus in the announcement, with the cautious wording of “you have entry to video games you’ll be able to’t get elsewhere, so you’ll be able to get pleasure from the full freedom and versatility of PC gaming” feeling prefer it has Valve firmly in its sights.
The Steam Deck – which kicked off the wave of PC handhelds from varied {hardware} producers – performs video games through the Linux-based SteamOS, and whereas it is glorious at working video games straight from the Steam library, it is not significantly versatile in relation to putting in video games from different storefronts. It is also solely in the stores from Steam itself.
Microsoft clearly identifies a chance right here to supply a extra wide-ranging machine to PC gamers, whereas courting its present console viewers with the Xbox branding.
Superficially, Microsoft and Asus have made two new variations of the ROG Ally with an Xbox button on them. However the alternative right here for Xbox is in positioning: the gulf between extra specialist PC handhelds (the Steam Deck has offered round 4 million items, in keeping with analysts) and Nintendo’s mass market Swap (150 million offered) is gigantic.
The PC gaming handheld house continues to be comparatively new, in spite of everything. Having two gadgets, too, properly mirrors Microsoft’s personal technique with the Xbox Sequence S and X, and is not one thing Nintendo or Sony have tried earlier than with their handheld launches.
Ampere Evaluation’ Piers Harding-Rolls shared his ideas on Microsoft’s strategy on LinkedIn. “This partnership reveals Microsoft’s growing dedication to the PC gaming market, and its intent to guard and increase the function of Home windows as the dominant gaming platform,” he mentioned.
“Lots of Microsoft’s current work in Recreation Go has been extra straight centered on the PC gaming house, because it believes that is the place there’s a substantial alternative to develop its viewers attain in comparison with console.”
Harding-Rolls believes that teaming up with Asus has allowed Xbox to leverage the firm’s belief with PC avid gamers, speed up its entry into the market, deepen the integration with Home windows and Xbox providers, and counter the rising affect of Valve’s handhelds.
In line with Harding-Rolls, Home windows PC handhelds offered 1.2 million items in 2024.
The important thing factor, in fact, shall be value. The most cost effective mannequin of Steam Deck retails for $399. Asus has not made a handheld that low cost, with the authentic ROG Ally launching at $600 earlier than dropping in value.
Priced fairly, Xbox might courtroom each its present console gamers and PC gamers enticed by the thought of a gaming-specific Home windows expertise. However we’re in a panorama the place dwelling console costs have been going up, not down. And given its specs and capabilities, per IGN’s hands-on, the Xbox Ally X merely will not be low cost.
Nonetheless, the handheld market is in a extra attention-grabbing state than it has been in years. Whereas PS5 has firmly received out over Xbox on the dwelling console entrance, Microsoft has picked a special battle the place it has the potential to make some significant wins in increasing the footprint of PC gaming.