There was a period during the early PS4 era when handheld consoles almost felt like they were on the verge of death. The two biggest handheld console manufacturers of the time, Sony and Nintendo, were both struggling to find new audiences, as smartphone games were gradually encroaching on their market share. Even though it cultivated a passionate fan base later on, Sony’s PSP successor, the PlayStation Vita, launched with a thud back then, selling less than 15 million units in its entire lifetime. Nintendo’s 3DS system fared a lot better commercially, but it, too, suffered from a rough launch and sold considerably worse than its predecessor, the Nintendo DS.Fortunately, after Nintendo struck gold with the release of the Nintendo Switch, the handheld market began to experience a massive resurgence in popularity. Multiple companies, including Valve, Asus, Lenovo, and MSI, decided to throw their hats in the ring and make portable gaming devices of their own. While the systems they made weren’t true consoles, they were still very much inspired by the form factor of the Nintendo Switch. Now, more than 8 years after the launch of Nintendo’s hit hybrid console, it looks like both Microsoft and Sony are preparing to dip their toes into the handheld market. Sony is reportedly gearing up to launch a portable PlayStation console alongside the PlayStation 6 in 2027/2028, while Microsoft is going to release a new family of handhelds later this year.
The ROG Xbox Ally Family of Systems is Coming Out on October 16
During theJuneXboxGamesShowcase, Microsoft unveiled its first-everXbox-branded handheld: the ROG Xbox Ally.Manufactured in collaboration with Asus, the ROG Xbox Ally and its more powerful counterpart, the ROG Xbox Ally X, are basically just upgraded variants of the existing Asus ROG Ally handhelds. Because of this, these devices are technically handheld PCs instead of traditional consoles. Unlike the Xbox Series X/S, they run on Windows 11, and they support games that are available on all modern PC storefronts, including Steam.
The ROG Xbox Ally cannot natively play every game in a player’s Xbox game library. Since it’s just a PC, it can only run Xbox games that have Xbox Play Anywhere support.
The ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X Seem to be Pretty Expensive
The ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X are both going to be launched on October 16, 2025. The systems will be available in most countries where Xbox consoles are sold, and they’ll also be released alongside the new Handheld Compatibility Program, which lets players know if the game that they purchased can run well on them. Microsoft and Asus haven’t officially shared any pricing details for the ROG Xbox Ally family of systems yet, but recent leaks indicate that they will be pretty expensive. The base ROG Xbox Ally will apparently cost around $599, while the ROG Xbox Ally X will supposedly have a $899 price tag. These rumored prices, however, are subject to change.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Will Be Released on the Same Day as the ROG Xbox Ally
Some gamers may be dissuaded from purchasing the ROG Xbox Ally due to its high price tag. Luckily for them, there is another handheld-related product that’s coming out on the same day: Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Game Freak’s next big Pokemon game is a follow-up to the 2022 spin-off, Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Unlike its predecessor, Pokemon Legends: Z-A is going to take place in Lumiose City, the setting of the Gen 6 mainline Pokemon titles, Pokemon X and Y. It will contain a mixture of both new and returning characters from those games, and it will also feature the popular Mega Evolution mechanic.
Exclusives Like Pokemon Legends: Z-A Give Nintendo’s Handhelds a Leg Up Over the ROG Xbox Ally
Pokemon Legends: Z-A will be available on both the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 at launch. The game will cost $60 on the original Switch, while its Switch 2 port will cost an additional $10. Pokemon Legends: Z-A is, of course, not going to be on the ROG Xbox Ally, nor will it ever come to any PC handheld in the future. The target audiences for the ROG Xbox Ally and the Nintendo Switch 2 may be different, but exclusive titles like Pokemon Legends: Z-A are one major advantage that Nintendo‘s handheld has over Microsoft’s upcoming portable device.
- Brand
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Xbox / ROG
- Operating System
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Windows 11 Home
- Processor
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AMD Ryzen Z2 A Processor
- Display
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7” IPS, 500 nits, 16:9, 120Hz refresh rate, FreeSync Premium, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus + DXC Anti-Reflection
- Resolution
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FHD 1080p
- Original Release Date
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2025
