Microsoft announces new Xbox Ally handheld consoles – here’s what we know
Microsoft has announced two new handheld games consoles, the ROG Ally and the Ally X, which will be released later this year.
The new consoles will allow users to access their Game Pass libraries on the go, providing competition to the newly-released Nintendo Switch 2 and the more established Valve Steam Deck.
Microsoft has been developing the hardware for more than a decade but has fallen behind its rivals Nintendo and Valve, who released their devices in 2017 and 2022, respectively. Microsoft hopes the integration of its Gamepass subscription service, allowing players to access an existing library of hundreds of titles, will help convince gamers to invest.
The ROG Ally has 16GB memory and 512GB storage, while the more powerful X version has 24GB memory and twice the storage.
What price is the Xbox Ally X?
The success of the original Nintendo Switch, which functioned as both a portable and a “docked” console, reignited interest in on-the-go gaming, a sphere that has been dominated by the Japanese company. The various iterations of its DS console sold more that 154m units worldwide, the Switch sold 122m and the Game Boy and Game Boy Color sold almost 119m. Sony’s PlayStation Portable sold 82m units. The Steam Deck has sold some 4m units.
Microsoft has not released pricing information but it is expected to be at least on par with the Steam Deck, which retails for up to £569 for the most powerful version. Sony’s PlayStation Portal, which allows users to play their PS5 games remotely via wi-fi, retails at £199, albeit with a limited functionality.
At the launch event, Microsoft stressed that the Ally devices have been built from the ground up to function seamlessly with its Game Pass library and that while they will be able to run Windows, this will not be the default interface seen by the user.
Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and S consoles have struggled against Sony’s PS5, with 33m compared to 74m to date, despite a strong critical reception.