- A report from insider Jez Corden mentions that ROG Ally is more of a traditional PC than an Xbox.
- It will not support most Xbox games unless they are part of the Play Anywhere program.
- So, most games would need to be purchased on Steam or other platforms again.
After the huge success of Valve’s Steam Deck and Sony’s PlayStation Portal, it was only a matter of time before Xbox got involved in the portable business. Partnered with Asus, the gaming brand is launching ROG Ally and ROG Ally X handhelds later this year.
Xbox has promoted its handheld lineup under the ‘This Is An Xbox’ marketing, but that might not entirely be accurate. Insider Jez Corden highlights that ROG Ally is more of a traditional Windows 11 PC than a console. It doesn’t support most Xbox games by default.
Why it matters: The insider implies that ROG Ally will likely have a much harder time at launch since many AAA studios don’t support the Xbox Play Anywhere program in the first place.
As Jez says in the report, ROG Ally variants can run Xbox games only if they are under the Xbox Play Anywhere program. It allows for certain titles to be bought once and played across Xbox consoles and PCs, including the ROG Ally.
This would render much of gamers’ Xbox libraries useless for the handhelds, forcing them to buy the titles again on Steam or other platforms to play.
The Xbox Ally is not an Xbox, despite Microsoft’s ‘This is an Xbox’ marketing campaign. It is a Windows 11 PC at its core, which means it will not run a huge portion of your existing Xbox library.
-Insider, Jez Corden.
Despite thousands of indie games being involved with Xbox Play Anywhere, AAA studios—like Ubisoft, Rockstar Games, Activision, and Capcom—still don’t support the initiative.
Another way to play Xbox titles on ROG Ally is through cloud gaming, which requires good internet and a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, or via streaming from Xbox consoles to the Ally.
While AAA studios may eventually join Xbox Play Anywhere, ROG Ally handhelds may still struggle to find ground due to Xbox’s confusing marketing so far.
Do you think more AAA studios will eventually support the Xbox Play Anywhere program? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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