Making games work great on handhelds requires a few extra considerations when comparing how that same game might behave in a PC desktop environment. There are five checks that developers should consider satisfying to ensure that their game is best configured for play on a handheld. For a closer look at the five checks (and further considerations), including code snippets, visit the Handheld Compatibility Guide on Microsoft Learn.

Check 1: Defaults Just Work

On launch of the game, the developer can check if the device is a gaming handheld. If it is a gaming handheld, the game should choose the defaults that create the best experience.

Check 2: Iconography

On-screen hints such as the iconography help the gamer understand how to navigate and ensure there aren’t indications suggesting input methods that aren’t available natively on the handheld.

Check 3: Text Input

When entering text in the game, developers need make sure that the gamers can enter text using just the gamepad with a virtual keyboard.

Check 4: UI Legibility

Text legibility is a major source of accessibility issues. An easy way to satisfy text legibility is to automatically set a larger text sizes as the default when you detect the game is running on a handheld device.

Check 5: Supported Display

Games use the screen real estate to provide a great experience and shouldn’t be substantially letterboxed or rendered at aspect ratios that distort gameplay.

Other considerations include: Docked Behavior of a Handheld, Guaranteed Input, and Screen Dimensions.

For a full breakdown of each of these checks and considerations, head over to the Handheld Compatibility Guide on Microsoft Learn.

Today’s gamers are no longer tied to a single screen. In fact, more than half of players regularly switch between devices - console, PC, and handheld - expecting their experience to follow them wherever they go. That’s where Xbox Play Anywhere (XPA) comes in.

Xbox Play Anywhere is a player-first program that allows players to purchase a digital games once and enjoy seamless gaming across Xbox consoles, Xbox PC, and supported gaming handheld devices like the ROG Xbox Ally, all at no extra cost. Whether they’re unlocking achievements on console, customizing characters on PC, or grinding through levels on a handheld, their progress, purchases, friends list, and even leaderboard rankings stay perfectly in sync.

While ensuring that your game runs smoothly, supports native controls and doesn’t use too much power are all important, it is also essential to ensure that your game is accessible and adaptable to the unique constraints of handheld play.

There are a number important considerations when it comes to making your game accessibile on handheld. From text readability and context-aware iconography to customizable controls and native touch input, there are many ways to design with accessibility in mind. Remember, you’re not just improving usability - you’re expanding your audience and making handheld gaming more welcoming for everyone.