Square Enix has released a much-anticipated update for its recent Kingdom Hearts games on Steam, with one important change that addresses compatibility issues with the ASUS ROG Ally. This news will come as a relief to many ROG Ally owners who were eagerly awaiting the opportunity to play the beloved titles on the handheld console.
Previously, players reported significant difficulties running Kingdom Hearts games on the ROG Ally. Frequent crashes and performance issues hindered the gaming experience, leading to frustration among fans of the series. However, the recent update appears to have resolved these problems.
Kingdom Hearts’ latest patch fixes ROG Ally crashes
To add to the frustration, these problems weren’t affecting rival handhelds like the Steam Deck, likely due to its older hardware, with the GPU being based on RDNA 2 architecture. Luckily, that’s now in the past and the Kingdom Hearts patch notes reveal hardware fixes for RX 7000 series hardware “including AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT” as well as the “ASUS ROG Ally RC71L-Z1E512”.
Square Enix’s patch notes explain which titles are affected by this new fix:
KINGDOM HEARTS -HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX-
- KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX
- KINGDOM HEARTS Re:Chain of Memories
- KINGDOM HEARTS II FINAL MIX
- KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep FINAL MIX
KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue
- KINGDOM HEARTS Dream Drop Distance HD
- KINGDOM HEARTS χ Back Cover
For reference, Kingdom Hearts 3 didn’t seem to have this problem in the first place, so the fix is relevant to the older titles.
Users confirm it’s a successful patch
One ROG Ally user, who has been testing the updated version of Kingdom Hearts I, has confirmed via Reddit that the game is now running smoothly without any crashes. They have been able to play for over an hour without encountering any issues, a significant improvement from the previous experience. It’s worth noting that the original patch note does refer to the original ROG Ally, and not the Ally X, but another user reports that it also works fine on the revised 2024 model.
The user also praised the game’s performance on the ROG Ally. They reported that Kingdom Hearts I runs beautifully and is power-efficient, allowing for extended gameplay sessions in silent mode with high frame rates. The game is said to consume an average of only 11 watts, making it ideal for on-the-go gaming. This update marks a significant milestone for ROG Ally owners who have been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to play the Kingdom Hearts series on their handheld console.
This is excellent news for the ROG Ally as it solidifies its position as a competitive handheld gaming console. By resolving the Kingdom Hearts compatibility issues, the Ally demonstrates its ability to handle a wider range of games, making it more appealing to potential users. This update also highlights the Ally’s versatility and its potential to compete with other handheld consoles like the Steam Deck, especially for those who prioritize playing popular franchises like Kingdom Hearts. However, the shaky start with this title may have done a little damage overall.
