Epic Games Store head Steve Allison on offering players direct access to its game library on Xbox handheld consoles: ‘We haven’t built…’

Epic Games Store head Steve Allison has confirmed the company is in discussions with Microsoft about bringing its storefront to the upcoming Xbox handheld console. However, Allison acknowledged that Epic hasn't yet built dedicated apps for Xbox handheld consoles like the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X.In an interview with Game File, Allison said, “We haven't built the apps for those that we need to build,” stressing that the company's current main priority is to improve the overall store and launcher. He added that Epic Games would then focus on making apps for handheld PCs.Handheld PCs like the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X run an Xbox app and even offer access to other stores, including Steam, GOG, Ubisoft Connect, Battle.net, and the EA App.

Currently, these handhelds include a link to the Epic Games Store, but it directs players to the PC version of the launcher rather than a dedicated app optimised for controller support. What Steve Allison said about Epic Games' plans on offering direct access to its store from the next generation of Xbox handheld PCsThe next Xbox console is expected to be a hybrid system capable of running Xbox and PC games, with access to additional stores.

Regarding the availability of the Epic Games Store on the device, Allison said the company plans to make it available on the new Xbox console on day one as a native app, providing access to its PC game library.“We definitely plan to be on the new hardware for Xbox, because, unless their policy or stance on it changes, they are telling us they're going to welcome that, And we're going be there, like, on day one. That will probably require us to build in whatever their requirements are, some sort of software to support that,” Allison said.In October 2025, YouTuber Moore's Law is Dead posted a video showing what he claims to be the primary processor for the next Xbox console, stating that he believes Microsoft is positioning the next Xbox console to be a hybrid system capable of not only playing games on the Xbox Store but also PC games on other stores.Later that same month, Xbox president Sarah Bond suggested the next Xbox console would share some of the thinking behind the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X handhelds, presumably referring to their ability to access other stores.“Well, I can tell you you're right, that the next-gen console is going to be a very premium, very high-end curated experience. You're starting to see some of the thinking that we have in this handheld, but I don't want to give it all away," Bond told Mashable.