Microsoft is finally taking its shot for handheld gaming. During Summer Game Fest on June 8, the company debuted the console with a flashy trailer: a floating block of ice forming into the handheld before the Xbox logo cracks through and the system comes to life. Not just one, but two—the ROG Xbox Ally and its more powerful variation, the ROG Xbox Ally X—essentially a set of halved controllers comically strapped to a wide screen. Both are expected to arrive this holiday season, though details like pricing, accessories, and preorders still haven’t been announced.
It’s been a long wait for a true Xbox handheld. While competitors like Nintendo, Sony, and Valve have already established handheld or hybrid consoles in some form, Microsoft has been slower to commit to gaming on the go—a move that has cost it a competitive edge against the Switch or Steam Deck. For a company that’s put heavy emphasis on “Xbox anywhere,” its lack of a console you could actually play anywhere has been a major oversight.
The Ally consoles, which are being made with electronic manufacturer ASUS, will finally let people play games through remote play, cloud gaming, or the handheld itself. Both will run Windows 11, where your mileage may vary depending on your feelings about the divisive OS, which critics have described as annoying because of things like pop-up ads and a bad start menu. It will give players access to PC games, mod use, and apps such as Discord and Twitch, and include accessibility features found on Xbox. Fans will also be able to play games from Xbox, PC storefronts, Game Pass, and Battle.net, which will all sync between consoles, PC, and cloud gaming.
In an interview with The Verge last year, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said the company has been “learning from what Nintendo has done over the years with Switch.” He’s also expressed admiration for the Steam Deck, ROG handheld, and Lenovo handheld Legion Go. Prior to that, a leak from Microsoft itself in September 2023 included information on a “hybrid game platform,” then expected in 2028. Back when X allowed users to see other likes on posts, Xbox fans took note of Spencer-liked tweets that declared an Xbox handheld “inevitable.”
The race to make consoles more powerful than they’ve ever been—or to compete with PCs—hasn’t been as exciting, as the tech has steadily improved in the last decade. Instead, it’s the console you can play on a plane or from bed—anywhere without a TV setup, really—that feels truly appealing. My Xbox Series X has spent most of its life languishing on my shelf and collecting dust while my Switch is a must-have for every trip I take. Breakout titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 pulled me back to my Xbox briefly, but I, like many other gamers, want that option on the go.
Impressions of the handheld so far have been largely positive. “It ran nicely, felt good in my hands … the controls felt like Xbox controller grips,” wrote GameFile. “The gameplay was crisp and clear.” IGN praised its gameplay experience, but also noted that the user interface could be more intuitive. A writer from The Guardian said they “can easily see it becoming a serious competitor for both the Switch 2 and Valve’s Steam Deck.”
Microsoft is entering the market at a time when you can play most major video games on one handheld or another. With the Switch 2 out now, Nintendo already has a jump on the holiday season—and any potential tariffs or production problems that may occur.
But Microsoft has no shortage of games. During Xbox’s Summer Gamefest showcase, the company also showed off its upcoming release schedule, including Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, The Outerworlds 2, a Persona 4 remake, and Hollow Knight sequel Silksong. The Ally will launch with the massively popular Roblox, the first time the game has ever been available on a handheld. That strong library of games could give Xbox the leg up it needs—or at least a fighting chance.
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