ASUS Shares Footage Of Loads Of Games Being Tested On ROG Xbox Ally

@Millionski I think you are on the money in that the next xbox will essentially be the app overlay we see on the rog running on a box.

@Millionski No reason to and no way they're ditching backwards compatibility at this point. The Series X|S is a massive source of yearly income and successful considering the PC alternatives and dual releases (PC/Xbox). As hardware is not as popular as PS, but the engagement in terms of purchases and subscriptions is impressive. Everything else will be like you say, but there will be backwards compatibility, at least on console. At the end of the day, Xbox One and Series X|S also use Windows and Microsoft's engineers achieved enhanced backwards compatibility with Xbox and Xbox 360. The next console using AMD and the new "Xbox" Windows to merge the PC and console development while keeping backwards compatibility is a small challenge in comparison.

Moreover, when they talk about the Rog Xbox Ally, e.g., Sarah Bond in the videos, she specifically says your console-only games are playable through the Cloud, while they define the next-gen console as backwards compatible.

@Millionski
So are you saying that the next gen Xbox will not play my current series x generation games like Forza Horizon 5 or a third party game like the up and coming resident evil 9, by fully downloading natively?

Or only if the game has a PC version of FH5 and RE9 it would run downloaded natively, because the next Xbox will basically be a full PC with an Xbox overlay?

@Millionski Whether or not its the Full Windows 11, its difficult to say. Its entirely possible that the processes and elements of Windows that are NOT required/switched off on these PC handhelds, is NOT supplied/built in to their Console so that it still runs Windows 11 games, but can't boot to the Full windows. Steam, GoG etc can be added as Apss into their 'Dashboard' so you don't need to go to Windows to access them, but also if MS decide you can't use a certain retailer/app, it won't be on their Dashboard and you can't go to Windows desktop to findand install.

That way, they still have the Control like they do with the Console and even have other Game Apps behind their Game Pass Core tier - to play Steam games, you need their Sub on their Platform. Otherwise, they may have to drop the Online fee otherwise pople will buy from other retailers who don't require a fee to access all content.

It makes sense in the long run for Xbox to be more a Windows PC. Microsoft only need to make the game 'once' without the costs of porting and optimising for a console (or even multiple Consoles). Take Starfield - built for PC's first and foremost, then ported down to 2 different spec Consoles, each requiring time and money to get working in a satisfactory way. With Windows 11 based, they build the game once and at most, provide 'default' settings for that hardware. Like any PC game though, you can tweak settings yourself, but if you just want to jump straight in, its 'default' settings provide a 'console' like experience.

@Millionski I know it's not your case (and that's why I bother to reply), but the only people I see saying or writing that Xbox is dead are relentless PS fans. As you know, the important thing is the revenue and Xbox (console) is a massive source of income.

Regarding the marketing, they're going to market it as an Xbox that also plays games from other stores. That will satisfy Xbox gamers and PC gamers looking for a console-like experience, and maybe attract some open-minded PS users looking for a secondary console/gaming PC.

Like I said, they wouldn't say "console-only games are playable through Cloud on Rog Xbox Ally" and "the next generation console will be compatible with your existing library of Xbox games" if they were meaning the same. They are very specific about it because it's an important difference.

Besides, after what they've achieved on Xbox One, it's not that difficult to play backwards compatible, Xbox One and Series games on the same architecture running a newer version of Windows. It just wouldn't make sense to throw that through the window and they know it.

@Millionski
Thanks for the update.
I guess it’s depends how powerful this PC with the Xbox layer on top is depends on how good the PC downloaded natively running versions of the game will be.

I have GPU until March 2027 so I guess if the PC thing is out by then I just download and play natively the PC version of the game.

Not sure if this a great strategy overall but going on Xbox console sales for July 2025 worldwide 132 thousand it’s the only option left for what was a traditional sort of Xbox console to exist going forward.

GPU is still amazing value, look what’s coming the rest of this year and then hopefully 2026, but I’m not sure it’s enough.
I guess they are just a massive publisher now really moving forward.

@Millionski Ultimately, I do expect them to drop their 'console' for a Full Windows PC as that is still their Platform and as I said, makes game development a bit easier as they won't have to port/optimise for their Console Hardware and makes it easier to deliver Play Anywhere (if every game also gets a PC release) and BC too is easier as PC gamers have enjoyed that aspect for decades.

My point was more about the transitional phase between a locked Console and an open full Windows based Platform. Consoles are often subsidised and make money from Sub services, Monopoly Store front etc. An open Platform can't charge for Online Social Gaming because you'd bu from Steam or other platforms that don't lock content behind a Sub pay wall.

IF MS release a Console with the RoG Ally like Full Windows 11, then why would you buy games like Gears of War, Call of Duty or any of their Social games as they require Game Pass Core to access that content, but buy and play through steam and you don't need Game Pass Core. So either MS will scrap that aspect of their Subscription OR will have to 'lock' their next Hardware and maybe make Apps, like Steam require Game Pass Core to access - that way they still get the Sub fee regardless and will still get money regardless of where you buy.

I don't know that Microsoft will go 'full' PC with their next hardware, but ultimately I don't think that Xbox 'Console' needs to exist in 2026. The reason MS brought Xbox to market was because they wanted to make their 'Gaming API' (Direct X) important for gaming so its required for their Console. Not only that, Consoles couldn't play 'PC' games and that's where Microsoft had developed and released Games. PC's were very expensive - even to play games like Doom so were prohibitive for Mainstream gamers. For MS to become a Mainstream Gaming company, they had to build a Console - now 25yrs later, you can play games without the need of Hardware and 'cheap' PC's these days can play games at Console like quality so the 'need' to provide Hardware is not there - of course People WANT hardware so there is a reason to make it.

They started by making and releasing games on their PC platform but had to make a Console because PC's were too expensive and NOT mainstream accessible - now PC's are and can be as low as Console hardware prices without the Console 'hidden' extra costs - Like Sub services to unlock all content, features etc you bought your hardware for, only one Digital storefront so no Competition to drive prices down etc. So if MS make a 'PC' rather than a Console, I do wonder if they'll lose GPC subs and/or Sales that cover subsidies on Hardware.

@Millionski
Yep some good advice.
Have switch 2 and really enjoying DBK sub level 900 100% so far, so setup some way to go.

@Millionski I know. I'm very happy with my Series X. If the next-gen Xbox launches in 2028 as they estimated in 2022, they should present it in 2027. Though they will support backwards compatibility, I expect Play Anywhere to be mandatory or intrinsic to the new system, with next-gen games being the same build on console and PC, making things easier on all platforms. That will also make Xbox future-proof, as walled garden consoles will disappear. Nintendo might be an exception if they keep prices high and budgets low, because Nintendo fans are suckers, myself included. Look at Sony now, porting everything to Windows and releasing games on the Xbox store.

Microsoft is willing to allow third-party stores on the next console like on the Rog Xbox Ally to reach a wider audience and because people might prefer Steam over Microsoft's store, but they still earn billions as a a publisher and with subscriptions. Plus, they own Windows, which all PC games use. They don't need to sacrifice backwards compatibility, just give 30% of the Call of Duty income to Steam or whatever store. It sounded crazy a few years ago, but their strategy made a lot of sense. Give a bit here and there, take a lot elsewhere.

There's going to be another Xbox console because 30+ million people are console customers. All they daily trepidation is absurd and a waste of time. People have fallen prey to a media and YTbers who profit from rumormongering. What's ultimately inside the box (either software or hardware) is largely irrelevant; the worrywarts don't understand the technology either way.

@Millionski I’m excited that steam will be on Xbox next console. At least that’s what I think people with Xbox have said. You already can play steam games on it with that gforce now. It’s in beta so not great. But tells me we will be able play PC games with next console. The old republic here I come lol

@Millionski They would have to be MAGICIANS to pull that off with the next Xbox console coming in 1 to 2 years. They've already promised full backwards compatibility and that isn't currently possible with the Xbox PC App. Even if they could pull it off on a technical level, there's still the massive licensing issues.

I think we've already been shown reality with the premature "this is an Xbox" campaign. Xbox's biggest competitive advantage is its larger ecosystem. They clearly want that to be a big selling point for the Xbox brand and get gamers at any possible entry point. On PC they're taking windows gaming, the largest gaming platform like period, and unifying the user experience under an Xbox language. They're also continuing to do this on the cloud. On all platforms (Cloud, Console, and PC) the UX design is kept consistent. They want it to be easy to reach any gamer in any market and fold them into the same Xbox ecosystem. They also want to make that their value proposition and continue pushing with stuff like Xbox Play Anywhere.

I think the Next Xbox console will still feel like a traditional console, but there will be a much greater focus under the hood for bringing everything (cloud, console, and PC) in line and feeling like a ubiquitous ecosystem. XPA will probably continue to be pushed hard and the AMD partnership will probably lead to it being easier than ever to develop for Xbox Play Anywhere (if not near automatic). We'll also probably see more Xbox PCs and Microsoft will start rolling the software out to all windows devices that want to use it. They want to build a gaming empire for Xbox. Right now there's no reason to nuke the console territory because console gamers are still paying oogles of money and consoles are still profitable. The issue is growth and increasing profits, and that's where a wider ecosystem that reaches more gamers on all platforms comes in.

I don't think it's controversial anymore to say that generations are dead and that the console market has hit maturity. Console gamers are still incredibly profitable (in fact they are spending more on Xbox & PS), but they aren't growing in number. As a result, I just think "Next Gen" is more of a vision of an evolution of the entire ecosystem for Xbox, and not a single major hardware boost. I don't expect them to overhaul everything just yet because I don't think they have the capabilities to do so AND hold on to the consumer base they've built that gives them a lot of money.

Like for right now, I see this Xbox OEM as two things 1) Microsoft unifying all gaming efforts on all platforms under "Xbox" branding 2) Microsoft finally improving gaming on windows after being asked too for longer than Xbox has existed (probably due in part to Valve selling SteamOS licenses). In other words, Microsoft is using its competitive advantages in multiple gaming markets to build an ecosystem that crosses both and benefits them more through starting to unify efforts. Windows as a gaming platform will 100% outlive Xbox (it'll outlive PS and Nintendo too), but I don't think we're there yet. Maybe the box after the next box

@Millionski Gamers are most interested in GAMES and its Games, they way they perform etc that determine which hardware you may choose to buy. When 'new' Hardware comes out, nowadays people want their games to come with them.

Hardware can be an issue to enabling you to keep your Library - The XB1 & PS4 both released with no Games carrying forward - if you owned AC4, CoD: Ghosts, BF4 etc on older gen hardware, you had to rebuy the exact same game to play on newer hardware. PC's at least have been better inn that regard.

If you buy a license to access a game, then you want to be able to play that game regardless of hardware - however, Platforms are not happy to let you download their version for 'free' because you bought a License through a different seller and publishers too would rather sell multiple copies. MS is no different in reality, but as they have more than 1 Platform, they are selling you a 'License' for their Platforms - regardless of whether that is an Xbox Console, a Windows PC or any Cloud enabled device. If you buy from them, you get a Licence encompassing all their Platforms and Direct Storage/Play Anywhere are part of that. Instead of buying a last gen version and paying a fee for a next-gen version, maybe having to rebuy games on newer hardware or only being able to play that game on that specific Hardware, the licence you bought is for that game on ANY Platform within that ecosystem rather than being 'locked' to a specific Hardware SKU. You bought the Game on a Microsoft Platform, you get to play on ANY Microsoft platform.

At the moment, they obviously have two distinctly different OS's and Hardware (I know the console has 2 variations but ultimately the same hardware structure), but Windows PC games have been around for decades and will likely continue long after the next gen Consoles have gone, getting Windows games is great for your Library - even if you ONLY play on Consoles today.

MS are acknowledging that Games are the most important - long after the Hardware they released on has gone so are trying to put the games first - but can't give you a license on PS, Switch or Steam for example as they want their 'money' from sales so give a licence in theirs. Its almost like Sony saying you've bought Spider-Man or God of War and as you own a Licence, that licence lets you play by streaming your own game or playing on PC's - although unlike MS, Sony don't have their own PC platform and release through Steam, Epic as a third Party Publisher. MS may well use Steam too, but they also Publish on their own PC platform.

They need to hurry up and announce the price