Xbox has released its secret weapon during the Xbox Games Showcase 2025: the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X. A handheld gaming device is indeed a game-changer, but what makes it much better is the Xbox Play Anywhere feature. This program has been available for quite some time now on Xbox consoles and Windows PCs, but Xbox will also offer the same feature on ROG Xbox Ally devices, allowing players to access 1000+ games anywhere, on any device.
This means that gamers’ library, progression, friends, and achievements will be maintained across every device. This is indeed the future of handheld gaming, as this feature is not limited to the ROG Xbox Ally devices, but also applies to other Windows handheld devices.
Xbox Play Anywhere will put PlayStation out of the console race
During the 2025 Xbox Game Showcase, Sarah Bond, the president of Xbox, announced the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X. While on the topic of handheld gaming, Bond revealed that Xbox is investing in Xbox Play Anywhere, a feature that will allow players have the Xbox experience across Xbox consoles, Windows PC, Smart TV or any Windows handheld devices like the ROG Xbox Ally devices. So, players just have to purchase a game once, and it will be available to play on all of these devices.
Bond has confirmed that there are over 1000 titles on Xbox Play Anywhere today, and every game showcased during the event will come with the Xbox Play Anywhere feature, including the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
This will allow players to experience some of the highly anticipated video games on day one, even when they are not playing on a console or PC. This was Xbox’s only weakness, and now, it will be able to reach a wider audience that is looking for gaming on portable devices.
The ROG Xbox Ally devices are a game-changer for Xbox
It was already known that Xbox was working on a new handheld device, but it certainly pushed the limits with the ROG Xbox Ally devices. It’s too soon to tell if the handheld devices will be able to run all video games because many other existing Windows handheld devices struggle to run a few games.
Judging by the information we have received so far, the ROG Xbox Ally devices are capable of running many titles. Given that Xbox has never entered this territory, it is a remarkable starting point.
Sony is yet to make a move, plus its State of Play event wasn’t exactly as good as it was hyped up to be. There are leaks that suggest Sony is also working on another portable gaming device, and since Sony has dominated this market in the past, we can expect it to exceed expectations once again.
Nintendo has also released its latest hardware, the Switch 2, so gamers will get plenty of options to choose from when it comes to portable gaming. One thing is clear: this Windows-powered Xbox handheld has officially given Xbox the advantage for now.
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