With a release date now announced for Asus' ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X devices, fan attention now turns to Microsoft's own plans to make a handheld Xbox. And today, at Gamescom, we checked in for an update.
Earlier this year, a Windows Central report stated that Microsoft had sidelined its own internal plans to build a portable Xbox gaming device in order to double down on the ROG Xbox Ally line in the short-term. However, that report also suggested that Microsoft's own ambitions were only shelved "for now".
Against this backdrop, and while chatting to Jason Ronald, Microsoft's vice president of Xbox gaming devices & ecosystem, IGN asked specifically of the company's first-party handheld plans, something previously teased by Xbox boss Phil Spencer himself.
"We're just really excited about the partnership with Asus, we've found an ideal partner to bring their strengths with our strengths, and for us we're really focused on just growing the category overall," Ronald said.
Today, Microsoft announced its own Windows handheld version of Steam Deck game verification, dubbed the Handheld Compatibility Program. As you might expect, this grades the compatibility of games on devices such as the ROG Xbox Ally X, but will also be available on other Windows handhelds in future, Ronald said, without naming names.
"So even just with the Handheld Compatibility Program, it's going to launch alongside the Xbox Ally but it'll apply to all devices in the category," he continued.
"Y'know, who knows what the future entails, but we're just really excited about the partnership right here."
While Microsoft has announced a release date for the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, pricing details remain under wraps. As part of the same interview, Microsoft and Asus told IGN it still needed more time to announce the devices' costs, due to "macro-economic" factors.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
