Asus ROG Ally update lets AI haters ditch ‘Gaming Copilot’

Microsoft’s Copilot “AI” system is not really a success with its users. Although the company has rebranded at least some features as gaming enhancements, PC gamers don’t seem to like it any better. The latest software update for Asus’ ROG Ally series of handhelds, including the only ones with the Xbox branding, lets you ditch it altogether.

“Remappable Gaming Copilot and Push-to-Talk” is the feature highlighted in the latest update to Armory Crate SE, the Asus software that handles much of the middleware for its gaming hardware. “Added the ability to remap Gaming Copilot and Push-to-Talk to the ‘Action’ section of the keyboard configuration menu,” the corresponding entry reads. This effectively allows you to remove Gaming Copilot from the interface, normally linked to a long press on the Library button.

The update comes with updates to BIOS and Armory Crate SE 2.1.20.0, according to Windows Central, which also includes fixes for sleep mode, UI scaling, and Xbox 360 controller emulation. I don’t see the official changelog from Asus directly, nor any place to download it. (Normally these appear on this support page.)

The ability to remap the Gaming Copilot feature and effectively ignore it is an interesting move on Asus’ part, especially since it was the first company to partner with Microsoft for its official campaign for Windows 11 handhelds. For the past couple of years, Microsoft has been… a bit arrogant regarding Copilot’s “AI” features, and users have not embraced it with open arms.

Between that, a seemingly forced migration from Windows 10 to Windows 11, and long-standing resentment as Windows itself is full of ads and features that no one asked for, Microsoft isn’t exactly gaining any fans at the moment. The timing of Asus’ update is also interesting: just yesterday, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was begging people to use “AI” in general and Copilot in particular… which is probably a coincidence.

Meanwhile, Valve’s Steam Deck is still incredibly popular (in this admittedly small niche), and the company is pushing a new wave of hardware to expand its PC gaming dominance into the console space where the Xbox brand is actively retreating.