gaming market Archives

AppWizard

June 16, 2025

Five Nights At Freddy’s still going strong: The latest game briefly grappled with Dune over Steam’s top seller spot

Five Nights at Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic was released last week and quickly became the top-selling game on Steam, briefly surpassing Dune: Awakening. Although it has since declined in ranking, it remains among the top 100 games by current players. The game's success highlights the strong market presence and loyal fan base of the franchise, which began in 2014.

AppWizard

June 15, 2025

Sony unlocks regional restrictions for some PC games in more than 100 countries

Sony has removed regional restrictions on several popular PC titles available on Steam, allowing players in 177 countries to access games like God of War Ragnarok, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, Spider-Man 2, and Helldivers 2. This change follows a backlash against a previous requirement for players to link their Steam accounts to the PlayStation Network (PSN), which barred access in regions without PSN. The PSN requirement has since been lifted for other titles, and the optional PSN login for Stellar Blade led to a successful launch with nearly 200,000 players in its first week. However, some titles, such as Ghost of Tsushima and Until Dawn, still have regional restrictions.

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

Steam beta gets native Apple Silicon support — the only public Arm version of Steam

Valve has released an update to its Steam Client Beta, optimized for Apple Silicon, eliminating the need for Rosetta 2. This update enhances performance for both the Steam Client and Steam Helper on Apple computers. The transition to a native version is timely as Apple is ending support for Rosetta 2 with the upcoming macOS 27. Valve confirmed that macOS Tahoe will be the last update for Intel Macs. Users can upgrade to the new Steam version (1749753892 or higher) by navigating to Steam > Preferences and selecting the Steam Beta Update option. The update can be verified in the Activity Monitor, where it should indicate Apple in the Kind column.

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

I’m glad Sony PlayStation finally got rid of PC game region locks

Sony has begun to reverse its policy of region-locking PC games, allowing titles such as Helldivers 2, God of War Ragnarök, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 to be purchased in previously restricted regions. This change follows backlash against the region locks implemented over a year ago, which had led to negative reactions from players. While many restrictions have been lifted, seven countries—Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam—remain blacklisted.

Winsage

June 10, 2025

Xbox’s new handheld is a surprisingly comfortable way to play Gears

The Xbox Ally X is a new handheld gaming device developed in collaboration with Asus, positioned as an alternative to the Steam Deck and the upcoming Switch 2. It includes the ROG Xbox Ally and the Xbox Ally X. The device is noted for its comfort, with hand grips designed to resemble an Xbox controller, making it more enjoyable to hold compared to the Steam Deck. During a demonstration, gameplay with Gears of War: Reloaded was smooth, and the ergonomic design of the Ally X potentially improved performance. The device's weight is comparable to the Steam Deck, and it offers a significant difference in comfort during extended play sessions. The user interface and navigation between Xbox and Steam games remain unexplored, but the device's comfort and portability suggest it could be a favored option for on-the-go gaming.

Winsage

June 9, 2025

ROG Xbox Ally handheld gaming devices are real and will be released during the 2025 holiday season

Microsoft unveiled its collaboration with ASUS’ ROG division, introducing the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X handheld gaming devices. Pricing details have not been disclosed, but they are expected to be similar to current ROG Ally systems, with the ROG Ally X potentially reaching up to 0. The devices will launch this holiday season in countries including Australia, Canada, Japan, and the United States. All games showcased will be playable on the Xbox Ally, although it is unclear if all titles will run natively. Users can play games from various platforms, including Battle.net, Steam, GOG, and Ubisoft Connect, with integration of Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere. The handhelds feature a full-screen Xbox user interface and include accessibility features from Xbox consoles and PCs. Both models run on Windows 11, with the Xbox Ally equipped with an AMD Ryzen Z2 A Processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage, while the Xbox Ally X has an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, 24GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. They share a seven-inch 1080p display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The Xbox Ally weighs 670g and the Xbox Ally X weighs 715g, with dimensions of 290.8 x 121.5 x 50.7mm. Both support video output through two USB-C ports, with the Xbox Ally X featuring a ThunderBolt 4 compatible port.

Winsage

June 9, 2025

Microsoft Finally Gets Into the Handheld Game With ROG Xbox Ally

Microsoft unveiled its new handheld gaming consoles, the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, during the Summer Game Fest on June 8. Both models feature a design resembling a pair of controllers attached to a wide screen and are expected to launch this holiday season. They will operate on Windows 11 and allow for gaming through remote play, cloud gaming, or directly on the device, providing access to a wide range of PC games and popular applications. Initial impressions of the consoles have been positive, with reports highlighting their comfortable design and gameplay experience. Microsoft aims to compete with existing handheld devices like the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck, and the Ally will debut with popular titles, including Roblox.

Winsage

June 9, 2025

Microsoft enters portable gaming with new ROG Xbox Ally devices

Microsoft is launching the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X handheld devices, marking its entry into the handheld gaming market. Developed in collaboration with ASUS, these devices will provide seamless access to Xbox games, content streaming, and cloud gaming. They are designed to offer a versatile and user-friendly experience for mobile gamers.

Winsage

June 9, 2025

Why the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X have Valve in their sights, not Nintendo

Microsoft has announced its first Xbox co-branded handheld devices, the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X, in collaboration with Asus, set to launch in the holiday season of 2025. Pricing details are not yet available. The Xbox Ally is designed as a generalist device, while the Xbox Ally X targets high-performance gamers, both powered by AMD processors and equipped with Windows 11. They feature Xbox-branded buttons, a gaming interface, and access to Xbox Game Pass, along with the ability to stream console libraries via Xbox Cloud Gaming and Remote Play. The user interface is similar to that of Xbox consoles, with ergonomic grips inspired by Xbox controllers. Accessibility features from Xbox and Windows will be included, and the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative will allow games to function across PC, console, and cloud platforms. The launch will occur in multiple countries, including the US, UK, Japan, and several European nations, with plans to expand to additional territories. The devices aim to provide a unified gaming library for users with both PC and Xbox consoles, enhancing the existing ecosystem. The introduction of Windows 11 is highlighted as a key feature, offering access to games not available elsewhere. The ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X are positioned to compete with existing handhelds like the Steam Deck, with a focus on appealing to both console and PC gamers. Sales of Windows PC handhelds reached approximately 1.2 million units by the end of 2024.

Winsage

June 9, 2025

The First Xbox Handheld Has Been Revealed

Microsoft has announced its entry into the handheld gaming market with the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, developed in collaboration with Asus. The devices support native gaming and cloud streaming. Key features include a larger battery, ergonomic grips, a dedicated Xbox button, and an optimized operating system that reduces Windows 11's idle power consumption by about two-thirds, enhancing battery life and freeing up to 2GB of RAM for gaming performance. Exclusive Windows 11 features will initially be available only on these devices, with plans to extend them to standard ROG Allys by late 2025 and to other handheld gaming PCs in 2026. Specifications: - ROG Xbox Ally: AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, 1080p 7” touchscreen, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD (upgradeable), 60Wh battery, 670g weight. - ROG Xbox Ally X: AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, 1080p 7” touchscreen, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD (upgradeable), 80Wh battery, 715g weight. Both devices can run Windows games from platforms like Xbox, Battle.net, GoG, Ubisoft Connect, and Steam. They are expected to launch during the Holiday season of 2025 in markets including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the US.