Is Asus Building an Xbox-Branded Handheld? A New Teaser Sparks Speculation
For years, fans have speculated about whether Microsoft would launch a handheld gaming console under the Xbox brand. Now, unconfirmed reports suggest that an official collaboration with Asus could bring something along those lines as early as this year. And if Asus’s latest teaser video is anything to go by, the company may be preparing to introduce a new handheld gaming device with Xbox integration.
Asus, a dominant force in the handheld gaming PC market, has already launched devices like the ROG Ally and the upgraded ROG Ally X. But its latest promo video, posted to Twitter/X, has sparked fresh rumors. In the clip, the company’s Omni mascot enters a chamber alongside an ROG Ally and a Raikiri Pro controller, a licensed Xbox-compatible controller for PC. The scene suggests a fusion of the two devices, resulting in a mysterious new handheld with LED rings around the thumbsticks, reminiscent of the Ally’s design.
While this could simply be a playful concept, several clues point to something more significant. The #PlayALLYourGames hashtag in the post suggests an emphasis on versatile gaming, and Xbox Era reports that Microsoft’s official Xbox Twitter account responded to the teaser with a meme post—a move that only adds to the speculation.
Given these hints, the most likely scenario is that Asus is developing an upgraded ROG Ally X with Xbox branding, complete with native Windows 11 support and an optimized experience for Game Pass streaming. This would allow players to access Xbox games via cloud streaming, PC gaming via Windows, and potentially even some form of direct Xbox integration. The teaser video also includes phrases like “Marathon stamina,” “More capacity,” and “Faster speed,” which could hint at hardware improvements like a better battery, additional storage, or increased performance.
However, it’s unlikely that this would be a true “handheld Xbox” console, in the sense of a standalone device running native Xbox Series X/S games. Such a product would require a unique architecture, and with Xbox titles already available on PC and Game Pass streaming, launching a separate, underpowered Xbox handheld wouldn’t make much sense. Instead, a co-branded ROG Ally with deeper Xbox integration seems like a more practical move.
Curiously, the teaser does not specify a release date, nor does it confirm when we might learn more. While the March 31st post date suggests the possibility of an April Fool’s joke, the lack of any exaggerated humor or satire makes it seem like a legitimate teaser for an upcoming announcement.
With Microsoft exploring new ways to expand the Xbox ecosystem and Asus continuing to push into handheld gaming, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a product that combines their strengths. Whether it’s a simple branding partnership or something more ambitious remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: this could be the next big step in Xbox’s evolution beyond traditional consoles.