Official Xbox handheld console ROG Ally gets a release date, courtesy of reliable leaker

ASUS’ Xbox-branded ROG Ally – perhaps the closest we’ll get to an official Xbox gaming handheld anytime soon, if recent reports are true – launches this October, says a reliable leaker.

Specifically, it’s claimed ASUS is targeting a 16th October European release date for the Xbox ROG Ally and its beefier-specced sibling, the Xbox ROG Ally X. That’s according to Dealab’s Billbil-kun, who has a long history of accurate leaks.

Both machines were officially unveiled in June, when it was confirmed the Xbox ROG Ally would include an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor alongside 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage, while the Ally X – described as a machine for “the most demanding players” – features an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor and 24GB of high-speed RAM.

At the time, ASUS would only say the machines were launching this “holiday” across select countries including the UK and US, and other details were limited. However, Billbil-kun recently claimed the Xbox ROG Ally will cost €599 (around £520), while the Xbox ROG Ally X variant is said to be priced at €899 (approximately £780). Pre-orders for both machines will reportedly begin on 20th August, with an official announcement expected during Microsoft’s Gamescom showcase, which begins at 2pm BST on the same day.