Microsoft may be moving toward consolidating its gaming ecosystem. Journalist and insider Jez Corden reports the company is working on an emulation system that would let select Xbox titles run directly on Windows devices, including the ROG Xbox Ally.
According to Corden, the technology could make the Xbox Ally “feel more like an Xbox” by late 2025 or early 2026.
“Those who argue the Xbox Ally isn’t a true Xbox because it lacks support for native games might change their minds next year, if this is accurate,” Corden said. He noted that Microsoft will need to negotiate licensing with publishers and developers, so not every Xbox game will be compatible from the outset.
On his podcast, Corden explained that for now the Xbox Ally is essentially a PC that requires manual setup. However, that could change soon:
“I’ve heard there will be interesting features next year that make the device feel much more like an Xbox.”
By “emulation” he refers to a solution akin to the Xbox 360 backwards-compatibility approach, enabling titles to run directly on Windows.
Corden also hinted at Microsoft’s longer-term plan: future Xbox generations would support PC play via AMD chips, expanding the hybrid ecosystem. If the reports prove true, emulation would let Xbox games run natively on the handheld and bring the Ally closer to the main Xbox ecosystem.
Corden warns these are still rumors for now.
Source: iXBT.games