Overview
- ASUS has hinted at the development of a potential Xbox handheld console.
- The new device may represent an Xbox-branded iteration of the ROG Ally X, showcased in ASUS’s recent teaser video.
- Microsoft disclosed plans for a portable gaming console in late 2024, although the device remains in the prototyping phase.
ASUS, the prominent Taiwanese technology firm, has sparked intrigue by teasing a new handheld device that appears to be associated with the Xbox brand. This teaser has elicited strong reactions from Xbox fans, generating widespread speculation regarding its implications.
During November 2024, Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, confirmed that a portable Xbox console is under development. He noted, however, that it would take several years to materialize, mainly because it was still in the prototype stage at that time.
In a related development, ASUS may be pursuing its own handheld project. On March 31, the Republic of Gamers (ROG) Twitter account shared a brief, engaging teaser video, hinting at a collaboration involving Xbox. The video, running for 34 seconds, features an animated robot combining an ASUS ROG Ally X console with the ROG Raikiri Pro Xbox controller into a futuristic device. Although the complete design remains a mystery, it clearly suggests the formation of a new handheld device, likely similar in appearance to the ROG Ally, boasting a 16:9 display and two LED-lit analog sticks arranged in a diagonal layout reminiscent of the Xbox controller.
ASUS’s Teasing of Xbox Handheld
pic.twitter.com/ONZpeEmNka — Xbox (@Xbox) March 31, 2025
The official Twitter account for Xbox responded to ASUS’s teaser with a meme featuring an “awkward look monkey puppet,”accompanied by no textual commentary. This response, which occurred merely three minutes after ASUS’s tweet—despite there being no direct mention of Xbox—has led many fans to speculate that this was a coordinated marketing effort.
Possible Xbox-Branded ASUS ROG Ally X Launch
As for the nature of the teaser, a logical interpretation is that it hints at an Xbox-branded version of the ROG Ally X. With Microsoft strategically enhancing its cloud gaming capabilities, the company seems intent on expanding its portfolio of portable gaming products. One economically efficient avenue for promoting these products is licensing the Xbox brand to third-party manufacturers. This strategy is evident in the recent launch of accessories like the Backbone One Xbox Edition smartphone controller and the Razer Kishi V2 Xbox Edition gamepad. An ASUS handheld displaying the Xbox branding would seamlessly fit into this partnership-focused strategy aimed at portable gaming solutions.
While the product teased is most likely a redesigned ROG Ally X, it is not out of the realm of possibility that ASUS and Microsoft have broader ambitions in this space. A now-deleted tweet from Microsoft insider Jez Corden in late May 2024 suggested that the next generation of Xbox consoles could serve as a benchmark device for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). As Microsoft looks to include portable devices in its upcoming generation of hardware, it may motivate third-party developers to craft their own Xbox-branded handhelds.