Microsoft delivered a double whammy over the weekend, announcing the new ROG Xbox Ally handheld console alongside confirmation that “Hollow Knight: Silksong will be available for Xbox Ally and Game Pass at launch”.
Microsoft’s comments, coupled with the fact that Silksong was shown running on the new Xbox handheld, led fans to believe that the long-awaited Hollow Knight sequel would launch alongside the ROG Xbox Ally this holiday season.
Hollow Knight Silksong developer Team Cherry has since clarified that this isn’t the case. Not only is the game’s release date not tied to the launch of the ROG Xbox Ally, but it will launch before the holiday season.
As spotted by Reddit users, Team Cherry’s Matthew ‘Leth’ Griffin told fans that Hollow Knight Silksong will launch before the holiday season.
“I confirmed BEFORE Holiday – we are not tied to a console release,” Leth clarified.
While it’s not a concrete release date, it means Silksong should be with fans before the holiday launch window of November/December.
You can check out the new Hollow Knight Silksong gameplay footage, alongside a preview of the ROG Xbox Ally handheld below.
Speaking of the ROG Xbox Ally, the new handheld is said to combine the power of Xbox with the freedom of Windows.
This means that not only can you play all of your favourite Xbox games on the device, but you can also download and install digital storefronts such as Battle.net and Steam.
Microsoft explains more: “Together with ASUS, we’ve combined our strengths and technical expertise to provide a premium gaming experience that travels with players wherever they go.
“With the Xbox Ally, it’s never been easier to access your favourite games – from Xbox, Battle.net, and other leading third-party PC storefronts – all from a single device.”
Two different variants will be available when the handheld launches this holiday season. There’s the regular ROG Xbox Ally, and the more powerful Xbox Ally X.
The standard version has an AMD Ryzen Z2 A Processor, while the ROG Xbox Ally X contains the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme Processor. Likewise, the regular Xbox Ally comes with 16GB LPDDR5X-6400, compared to the 24GB LPDDR5X-8000 for the Ally X. The Rally X also has double the storage.