Earlier this month, Microsoft and ASUS unveiled the upcoming ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X handhelds that will launch later this year. These devices, which are based on the existing ROG Ally handhelds, will run a new version of Windows that has been optimized for a better gaming experience. Currently, there are two main options in the handheld PC space: SteamOS and Windows. SteamOS offers better performance, but is Linux-based and has some limitations. Obviously, SteamOS targets Steam users and any devices using the operating system won’t natively support other PC marketplaces like Epic Games Store and PC Game Pass.
Meanwhile, Windows is a better option for those who have a collection of games across various stores, but performance suffers because of all the resources Windows uses up. Microsoft and Xbox are working to address that experience for the upcoming handhelds, and the Xbox June update offers a preview of what’s to come. One feature is Copilot for Gaming (Beta), with a preview now available on the Xbox mobile app on iOS and Android. The companion app allows players to ask Copilot about any games for tips, guidance, or even video to help them out, and it’ll also be available on the ROG Xbox Ally this holiday.
The more exciting news is the update to the Xbox PC app for Windows, which is being enhanced to be a better solution for handheld devices. This week, Xbox Insiders can preview the new aggregated gaming library in the app, where players can launch games from Xbox, Game Pass, Battle.net, and other leading PC storefronts from a single library within the Xbox PC app. Xbox promises it’ll continue rolling out support for additional PC storefronts over time.
In addition, the Xbox PC app’s Game Pass tab has added a channel with iconic characters from various publishers. The feature is designed to enhance discovery while simplifying access to new titles. It’s also a way to highlight the diversity of publishers and games on the service.
June 2025 also has some updates for Xbox consoles, with the recently played games and apps list on Home adding three new features so players can further customize their experience. Console players can now hide system apps, pin favorites to the list, and reduce the number of tiles displayed. These new settings can be found under Settings > General > Personalization > Games & apps or through My Games & apps > Manage > Games & apps.
For Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers, this month’s update will also make it easier to discover the in-game benefits for select free-to-play games with the memberships. In addition, game hubs are now available to all players, providing relevant information about the selected game, such as player stats, achievements, friends currently playing, and more. Also, Xbox Cloud Gaming is getting some improvements to how it’s handling game saves if a previous device is offline. If there are previous game saves on another device in an unsynced state, players will now get the information to avoid accidental data loss.
We’re excited to see what Microsoft and Xbox manage to do with their operating system and look forward to getting an ROG Xbox Ally X into our hands as soon as we can.
