Asus ROG Xbox Ally Handhelds Release This October
Microsoft promised more news about their partner project with Asus, the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, at Gamescom. And while we did get a release date, one thing was lacking: the price.
Now that we're in the second half of the year, we're closing in on the release date of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, which were rumoured to be launching later this year. And now we finally have our release date, and it's right around the corner: the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X will hit storefronts on October 16th.
Despite this good news, Microsoft still haven't shared the price tags with the community. Recent rumours have been suggesting around €700 for the Xbox Ally and €1,000 for the Ally X. If those rumours are true, Microsoft might be hesitant to share the price of the consoles with the public until closer to release. Now, I'm no businessman, but if that was the case, that wouldn't exactly be a wise decision; gamers have been somewhat lukewarm about the Xbox Ally consoles since their unveiling.
Another interesting nugget of information Microsoft did share, however, is the Xbox Ally’s Handheld Compatibility Program, which is somewhat akin to the Steam Deck Verified program. Like SDV, the Handheld Compatibility Program is designed to have as many games pre-optimized and playable as possible at launch so players won't have to fiddle too much with the settings.
Similar to the SDV program, there will be a number of signals indicating what games run beat on the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds. ‘Handheld Optimized’ and ‘Mostly Optimized' badges will indicate what games are fully or mostly playable, respectively. According to Microsoft, the Handheld Optimized titles “indicate games that are good to go,” before listing the expected features, including default controller inputs, an intuitive text input method, accurate iconography, clear text legibility, and appropriate resolution in full-screen mode. Mostly Compatible titles “may require minor in-game setting changes for an optimal experience on handheld.”
Microsoft goes on to mention that the ROG Xbox Ally series of handhelds will receive AI-powered features starting in 2026, including Automatic Super Resolution and “advanced shader delivery” that will pre-load game shaders as you install your games.
Will you be picking up either of the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds when they launch in October? Let us know in the comments.
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