ROG Xbox Ally launch date leak pushes it past Gamescom

Gamescom 2025 is just around the corner and will feature a broad array of eagerly awaited games and hardware, including the new ROG Xbox Ally from Microsoft and Asus. A recent leak has provided us with additional details about the launch date for the latter, which appears to be further off than initially thought.

A short while ago, the ASUS ROG Ally was seen on Amazon, but sadly, no price is available. Nonetheless, the Canadian listing for the handheld device validates a previously reported rumor. Discovered by LbabinzUS on Twitter, who posted the product's listings on Amazon US and Amazon Canada, they noted an interesting detail. The Canadian listing indicates a coinciding release date of October 16th.

While the latest information confirms the August 20 date for pre-orders, the expected October 16 launch means the new handheld will arrive a bit later than other new releases. The MSI Claw A8, another handheld utilizing AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme, is already available in certain regions of Europe, and the Lenovo Legion Go 2 is anticipated to launch soon, as its prototype is already in circulation in China.

If this leak is accurate, fans will need to wait more than a month to finally get their hands on the devices, one of which is rumored to be quite pricey. According to reports, there will be two variations; the ROG Xbox Ally X (which is speculated to have a price tag of $899) featuring the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, while the ROG Xbox Ally will utilize a less powerful processor, the Ryzen Z2A.

In terms of the highly anticipated Hollow Knight: Silksong, this new leak implies that it will also be released on October 16, as Xbox President Sarah Bond has confirmed that the game will launch alongside the ROG Xbox Ally.

The ROG Xbox Ally is generating considerable excitement with its bold entry into the console-handheld market. However, for those in search of an already optimized handheld for serious gaming on-the-go, the ROG Ally X emerges as the better choice. With a longer battery life, improved ergonomics, and complete Windows compatibility, it truly represents what the next generation of handheld gaming should embody. As always, for the latest news on hardware launches and industry developments, be sure to follow our dedicated hardware coverage.