HANDHELD NEWS – Microsoft, which has reportedly canceled its own handheld device, will launch two models of the device thanks to Asus’s manufacturing.

Pre-orders for the ROG Xbox Ally will reportedly begin in August, followed by the handheld PC two months later. Announced at the Xbox Game Showcase at Summer Game Fest, the device is a collaboration between Asus and Microsoft. It will feature Xbox branding and a proprietary operating system, adding to ROG’s successful line of handheld PCs.

Two versions of the system will be released: the ROG Xbox Ally X and the lower-end ROG Xbox Ally. Both devices will be able to run Windows games purchased through Xbox as well as games purchased from Battle.net, GoG, Ubisoft Connect, and Steam.

EXtas1s, an insider who tends to leak retail information before official announcements, claims that pre-orders for the two handheld PCs will start in August, possibly during Gamescom. According to EXtas1s, European pricing puts the ROG Xbox Ally at €600 and the ROG Xbox Ally X at €900. They could launch in October, right at the start of the Christmas shopping season, which is a logical decision on Microsoft’s part.

At launch, Asus’s device will be available in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as in other markets where the ROG Ally series is currently sold. Hungary is not on the list.

In any case, we’re interested to see how the two ROG Xbox Allies perform, as this could inform Microsoft’s future plans. Rumor has it that third-party manufacturers are developing the next-gen Xbox handheld, meaning another OEM deal could be on the cards between Asus and Microsoft.

Source: VGC