
During last month’s big Xbox Games Showcase, Microsoft officially pulled back the curtain on the ROG Xbox Ally. The handheld is set to come out at some point later this year, but a release date and price have yet to be announced. However, it seems European pricing for the two models was accidentally posted by manufacturer ASUS, and noticed by 3D Juegos. According to the website, the ROG Xbox Ally will be priced at 599 Euros, while the ROG Xbox Ally X will cost 899 Euros. That suggests a U.S. price similar to the current ROG Ally models, which are priced at $649.99, and $899.99.
That price point might seem shocking, but it’s not all that unexpected; I speculated that we could see pricing that high when the handheld was officially revealed. The idea of an Xbox branded handheld that can play downloaded games and stream Game Pass will be tempting for some diehard users, but it could be a really tough sell at those prices. The reality is, there’s a lot of competition right now when it comes to handheld gaming. Between Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch 2, gamers have multiple options now for gaming on the go.

The potential price point is already leading to a lot of pushback online. Several posters on Reddit seemed flabbergasted by the cost, with some going so far as to say that the handheld will be “DOA.” Those more familiar with handheld PCs are facing a little less sticker shock, but it’s unclear how many will actually be willing to purchase the ROG Xbox Ally when it gets released.
Hopefully Xbox and ASUS will announce official U.S. pricing soon so potential buyers can get some definitive answers (and know how much they’ll need to save up). It’s unlikely that the ROG Xbox Ally is going to see widespread market adoption, especially in an era where the Xbox brand is already struggling to adapt and compete. Some would have preferred a handheld created in-house by Microsoft, which was once planned but reportedly cancelled. That might have resulted in a cheaper option for accessing Xbox games on a dedicated portable gaming device, but it’s impossible to say for certain.
The market for handheld gaming has seen a major explosion over the last decade. Industry analysts spent years assuming that iOS and Android platforms would kill the market for dedicated handheld gaming devices. However, the success of Nintendo Switch greatly changed that perception. In the years since, the Steam Deck was released, and PlayStation Portal now offers a cheap option for streaming games locally from PS5. It’s possible the ROG Xbox Ally could find enough of an audience to be deemed a success. However, there seem to be a lot of factors that could stand in the way, and the price point could very well hurt the system’s chances.
Are you interested in buying an Xbox handheld? How do you feel about these leaked prices? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
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