Today, Microsoft has made its release date official, declaring that on October 16 we’ll be able to get hold of both models, with pre-orders due “in the coming weeks.” Despite this, we still don’t have a price for either model. However, rumors about the potential cost continue to appear—see below.

Microsoft is working on Advanced Shader Delivery, a way to reduce launch times in games when they are first opened.

Microsoft announced Wednesday during Gamescom 2025 that not only will its Xbox Ally handhelds be released on October 16, but the company is spinning up a new initiative to support optimized gaming on these devices called the Handheld Compatibility Program.

According to the VP, Microsoft envisions players having options like the Xbox ROG Ally for when they're on the move, and dedicated hardware when they come home that'll allow them to pick up from right where they left off.