The Rog Xbox Ally Can Fix One of Starfield’s Strangest Shortcomings

Unexpectedly, Starfield has become one of Xbox’s most contentious releases. The 2023 sci-fi RPG was built up to be the “next big thing” from Bethesda Game Studios, and while it does a lot right, it has ultimately been received without much enthusiasm, especially when measured against Bethesda’s previous ambitious role-playing outings.

But the game still has its fans, and for better or worse, it’s a significant part of contemporary Xbox history: it’s the biggest first-party game that Bethesda Game Studios has launched since being purchased by Microsoft back in 2021. It’s also still an Xbox and PC exclusive—part of a collection of exclusive titles that is becoming smaller and smaller as time goes on. As Xbox adjusts its strategy and becomes more hardware-agnostic, it will be interesting to see how the likes of Starfield are handled, but in the near future, there’s one shortcoming that could be addressed by Xbox’s Rog Ally handheld, and it’s a fairly obvious path to take.

Starfield Ought To Be a Great Experience on the Rog Xbox Ally

Starfield Still Isn’t Steam Deck Verified

The handheld PC market is becoming more competitive, but it’s undeniable that the Steam Deck is still leading the pack. Indeed, when one thinks of handheld gaming devices, the Deck is right up there with the Switch in terms of brand recognition. That’s why it’s so odd that, despite Xbox’s ostensible willingness to cater to the PC demographic, Starfield remains unverified for the Steam Deck. This means that, while it can certainly boot up and run on Valve’s handheld, it isn’t an ideal experience.

This is a shame, since a game like Starfield is arguably perfect for the handheld PC space. A big, ambitious, AAA open-world RPG is exactly the sort of thing that such devices were made for: devices like the Nintendo Switch, or the PSP and DS before it, have always been associated with lower specs, whereas the Steam Deck blows the performance of such handhelds out of the water. This means that it can run system-selling games like Starfield, putting such massive, high-fidelity virtual worlds in the palms of players’ hands. That is to say that, when the Rog Xbox Ally launches this holiday season, Starfield ought to be a top priority.

Starfield Getting “Rog Ally Verified” Would Be a Boon for Both It and Xbox

The Rog Xbox Ally is essentially what it sounds like: it’s a version of the Rog Ally handheld specifically designed to harmonize with Microsoft’s software. The handheld will ship with Windows 11, which Microsoft has been tweaking to be more compatible with handheld tech. The handheld will also boot directly into the Xbox app. In a nutshell, the Rog Xbox Ally is Xbox’s handheld gaming console, even though it’s not being made by Xbox itself.

So, there may be no better way to commemorate the Rog Xbox Ally than to make it the best possible handheld for Xbox’s biggest exclusive RPG. With Starfield not being Steam Deck verified, the Rog Xbox Ally has the perfect opportunity to usher it into the handheld gaming market, where it’s currently poorly represented. While the Rog Ally doesn’t have a “verified” system like the Steam Deck does, this upcoming Xbox variant could still be marketed as being optimized for the likes of Starfield, which would help drive its sales. In turn, Starfield would get a second chance at life, serving as a showcase for the portable console’s power and convenience.