After months of rumors and leaks, Microsoft has finally revealed its cards. ROG Xbox Ally, a portable gaming computer created in cooperation with ASUS, will debut this holiday season. And it looks like the Steam Deck and Switch are gaining a new, very formidable competitor.

Two Models, One Ecosystem

The new handheld is based on the already popular ASUS ROG Ally model, but Microsoft has prepared a special version fully integrated with the Xbox ecosystem. The Xbox Ally will appear in two variants: white — aimed more at less demanding gamers, and black Xbox Ally X — the more powerful one, driven by the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip. Official prices have not yet been revealed, but it is known that the device targets both Game Pass fans and PC gamers.

What can Xbox Ally do?

The device runs on modified Windows 11 Home, offering full support for local game installations, remote play from your own Xbox console, and streaming through the Xbox Cloud service. In addition, we get a dedicated Xbox Guide button, support for Battle.net, Steam, Epic Games Store, and other platforms, as well as full integration with applications such as Discord.

One of the key features is the Xbox Full Screen Experience — a central screen that aggregates all games from various sources in one place. This means there's no need to switch between launchers or applications. Additionally, there’s Copilot for Gaming — a new AI assistant designed to help with managing and configuring games. In the Ally X version, the AI capabilities will be further enhanced with a new Ryzen chip.

Xbox is becoming increasingly cross-platform

This year's presentation was also a signal of a change in direction for Microsoft — the company is boldly moving toward cross-platform releases. Games that will also be available on PS5 or Steam were clearly marked this time — which had not been the norm before.

Without a doubt, the biggest surprise of the Xbox Showcase was the announcement that Hollow Knight: Silksong will be a launch title for Xbox Ally. This is the first official mention of the game during the Summer Games Fest — and let's remember that for the past few years, "where is Silksong?" has become an industry meme.

What else was shown at the Xbox Showcase 2025?

Microsoft has put together a really strong lineup for the coming months. For the 25th anniversary of the Xbox brand in 2026, we will see a new installment of Fable, another Forza, and Gears of War: E-Day — a prequel to the famous series.

Players can also look forward to the premieres of several other hits. The showcase featured an extended trailer for The Outer Worlds 2 (premiere on October 27), and a preview of Grounded 2 was announced (July 29). Tony Hawk made a surprise announcement, revealing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 Remake, featuring special guest appearances by Ninja Turtles and Slayer from Doom.

There were also new announcements from the biggest series. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 returns to a sci-fi setting, while the steampunk Clockwork Revolution from inXile looks like one of the more interesting new RPGs. Indiana Jones fans will receive a new expansion for the hit game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle — The Order of Giants (premiere on September 4). The cherry on top will be Gears of War Reloaded — a remaster of the first installment with 4K graphics and crossplay.

In addition, Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy XVI will officially be coming to Xbox — which is a significant event in itself.

Hit or Miss?

Xbox Ally has the potential to redefine what portable gaming means today in Microsoft's ecosystem. Strong support for Game Pass, complete openness to PC stores and crossplay, and finally — new hardware that can run Silksong. On paper, this looks really good. Now we just await the prices and the first tests.