June has been a busy month for the video game industry. We expected that as this is the month, we typically see a flurry of showcases and events. Everyone is gearing up to share updates and announcements about what’s coming out later this year and what to look forward to playing when we head into 2026. One of the showcases offered a glimpse at an Xbox Ally handheld that might persuade some players to check into these portable Windows 11 machines.
Portable gaming is becoming bigger again. Over the years, we have seen various offerings, including Nintendo’s hybrid console and Valve’s Steam Deck. Now, it looks like Microsoft is keen on getting in on this action. There were rumors that they were working on their own handheld device. However, while we’re waiting to see if that project is still in the works, we have the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X devices.
Announced during the Xbox Games Showcase, the two devices were a partnership deal between Microsoft and Asus. We’re looking forward to checking these handhelds out when they finally arrive. However, that’s one of the issues right now. So far, we don’t have a launch date outside of the generic holiday season launch window. But, an insider did chime in recently that they heard a launch is coming in October of this year.
Today, it appears that another credible insider, Jez Corden, is also confirming that they heard the end of October is when we can expect to see the handheld launch. That will hopefully get some confirmation from Microsoft soon. But, like the launch date, Microsoft is still withholding the price for both handhelds. Speculation online suggests that the hesitation over announcing a price right now is due to tariff concerns emerging within the United States. We may see these handhelds a little more expensive than Microsoft likely intended due to the tariffs. Hopefully, we’ll hear something official in regards to both the release date and price point.
