It’s clear that Microsoft and Asus have collaborated to create a new handheld gaming device called the ROG Xbox Ally. Fans were excited when they first heard about the very capable portable console, but leaked pricing details have caused some concern. As per Spain’s gaming site 3DJuegos, which spotted the Xbox Ally particulars and pricing on Asus’ website, the Xbox Ally might retail for €599 in Europe, which is approximately $700 in the US or about ₹58,500 in India. If this is the true price point, it could be problematic for the Xbox Ally and the expanded version, the Ally X, to compete in the gaming market.

Why Is It So Expensive?
In India, the pricing aspect could be even more difficult. You cannot convert international pricing directly whereas there is also a number of steps added by way of customs duties, taxes and GST. When you factor these in, the estimated pricing for the Xbox Ally is astoundingly high at somewhere around ₹57,000 and the Ally X could go as high as ₹87,000.

At these asking prices, the handhelds are quite surprising. The PS5 Slim Disc Edition, with a game, is about the same as the Xbox Ally, and the price of the Ally X is more than the PS5 Pro, which is preferred by most bona fide gamers.

Will Gamers Choose Xbox Ally Over PlayStation 5?
Those high price points could present a challenge for both Asustus and rivalry. Basically, since (and due to) the discontinuation of the PSP by Sony, there were no handheld console equivalent that could really match its trendy success. The Ally was intended to fill this very void by offering a different way to experience quality gaming while traveling.

Clearly, with prices so steep it is hard to envision any gamers selecting ally over a full size console like, let’s say: the PlayStation 5. After all, a PlayStation 5 game library alone is hard to beat in value, and all the real ‘hardcore’ gamers steadfastly began to depart when the Ally could be seen as a desktop option: the deterrent for many is the sheer success of the PlayStation 5.

Clearly, the Xbox Ally becomes a competitor against the PlayStation 5, and thus its high price point could hurt its overall sales figures. Gamers accustomed to involving themselves with the PlayStation brand and are fans of the world that are beyond the fundamentals of the medium, would by today’s standards the PlayStation 5 is a better value than the Ally.

Current PS5 consumers, none of their options offer a notable value difference from the current PS5 games, brands, and by association person who play it. All of that to get to the destination that the Xbox ally is a portable system, a quick transition to rehash, but it undermines its not a real value selling point to most buyers.

What I can see hardcore Xbox players doing the true blue Xbox players – who play on all things Xbox – buying an ally to try something new, but considerably casual and financially conscious players will only stick to what they have always loved and were really used to.

If these prices rumors are accurate, they could be two disastrous moves for Asus and Microsoft. It may take more than just an additional commitment to redefine Asus’ and Microsoft’s pricing model or make a product that somehow resonates with gamers. Otherwise, price point will be potentially too high for most fans of gaming making it a niche product for a select few, very niche, enthusiasts. A powerful handheld gaming system sounds thrilling, but it needs to have the right price point to make waves in the gaming world.

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