What a five years it\u2019s been for Xbox. The Xbox Series consoles\u2019 lifespan has seen Microsoft\u2019s gaming ambitions shot into the stratosphere by the $67.9 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. At the same time, the Series X and Series S consoles \u2014 despite being arguably Xbox\u2019s best hardware to date \u2014 have sold poorly, falling behind even their unpopular predecessor Xbox One, never mind PlayStation 5 and the all-conquering Nintendo Switch.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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As a result, Microsoft has abandoned the last vestiges of console exclusivity for any of its games, even including Xbox stalwarts like Halo, Forza, and Gears of War. Exclusivity to Game Pass on day one took the place the consoles had once occupied. But that service seems to have hit its ceiling, long before it can pay for itself. Microsoft has finally solved the drought of first-party games that plagued it during the Xbox One era and the first years of the Xbox Series \u2014 but, ironically, it has nowhere useful to put all those games (other than on PC and PS5).<\/p>\n
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All that being the case, predictions of the death of Xbox consoles are not hard to come by. But Microsoft has already announced the next generation of Xbox console, code named Project Helix. What form will it take? Here\u2019s what we know so far.<\/p>\n
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\n What is the latest news about the next Xbox, Project Helix?
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Well-informed gaming hardware YouTuber Moore’s Law is Dead has estimated that Project Helix will cost between $1,000 and $1,200 \u2014 at least double the price of Xbox Series X when it launched in 2020.<\/p>\n
Considering the apparently very high spec of the machine, and current high prices for RAM, Moore’s Law is Dead estimates that Microsoft could sell it at cost for $900. But he thinks Microsoft will want to make a profit on the devices, which is probably true; pricing consoles aggressively as a loss-leader doesn’t really vibe with the broader, multi-platform strategy Microsoft is pursuing at the moment.<\/p>\n
“So, I will say that I think expect at least $1,000,” Moore’s Law is Dead said. “If they wanted to be crazy aggressive, I could see $900 and most likely I could see $1,200, but I don\u2019t think more than $1,500.” He pointed out that while the cost is historically high for a console, the device will essentially be a gaming PC, and should be able to compete with pre-built rigs from manufacturers like Asus that cost over $2,000.<\/p>\n
Specs leaks also suggest Project Helix will be considerably more powerful than PlayStation 6. “A lot of people will still just get the PlayStation,” Moore’s Law is Dead said. “Most people will, I think. But for people who want to go to PC gaming and had an Xbox, I think that\u2019ll be a compelling argument at $1,000 and probably still even at $1,200.”<\/p>\n
![\"Next-gen](\"https:\/\/static0.polygonimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/project-helix.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\")
\n <\/picture>Image: Microsoft<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n
\n What is Project Helix\u2019s release date?
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According to a comment from the CEO of chip supplier AMD, as well as the most recent report from Windows Central\u2019s Jez Corden, Project Helix is tentatively scheduled for a late 2027 release date. This is consistent with an industry-standard seven-year lifespan for the Xbox Series consoles, which launched in late 2020. It\u2019s also consistent with Sony\u2019s planned release date for PlayStation 6.<\/p>\n
Or at least, it was. Sony is reportedly pushing PS6\u2019s debut back to 2028 or even 2029 due to the RAM crisis which is causing chip shortages and price spikes for all kinds of computing hardware, as the world\u2019s supply of computer memory is snapped up by tech giants building out AI datacenters.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s been no word yet on whether the next Xbox could see a similar delay. It seems likely; Microsoft isn\u2019t immune to the same market forces (despite contributing to their creation with its aggressive datacenter construction). Too high a price point could prove fatal to Project Helix. On the other hand, the current Xbox isn\u2019t selling, so Microsoft has less to lose and more to gain from an early launch than Sony. One reason Xbox 360 remains the most successful Xbox is that it stole a one-year lead on the delayed PS3.<\/p>\n
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\n What will Project Helix\u2019s price be?
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It\u2019s too early to safely predict pricing for the next-generation Xbox console, especially considering the current turmoil in the electronics market. Valve says it\u2019s currently unable to set a price for Steam Machine, which is supposed to launch this year \u2014 never mind a device that could be two or more years away.<\/p>\n
We should expect Project Helix to be pricier than previous generations, however. Rather than get cheaper over time, the Xbox Series consoles have seen multiple price increases, with the Xbox Series X currently retailing for $650. It seems highly unlikely that a more powerful successor could launch below this price point.<\/p>\n
It gets worse. Former Xbox executive Sarah Bond said the next Xbox would be a \u201cvery premium, very high end\u201d device, which is clear code for \u201cvery expensive.\u201d Reports indicate that it will be a Windows-based device akin to a powerful gaming PC. Microsoft recently put a $1,000 price tag on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X handheld. Could we see the same for its next home console?<\/p>\n
That seems likely. Gaming tech YouTuber Moore’s Law is Dead has estimated that Project Helix could be sold at cost for no less than $900. Bearing in mind that Microsoft is likely to want to make a profit on the device, he puts the likeliest price range between $1,000 and $1,200.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/static0.polygonimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/aggregated-gaming-library-ui.png?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\")
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\n Will Project Helix be a PC?
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Yes, pretty much. Microsoft has confirmed that Project Helix will play “your Xbox and PC games.” Reporting from multiple sources as well as public comments made by Bond strongly suggest that the next Xbox is a Windows-based device. Windows Central\u2019s Corden reports that the Xbox Ally handheld is \u201cessentially an early version of what the next Xbox is going to be like.\u201d The Ally\u2019s Xbox Full Screen Experience gives Windows a console-like interface that will work with controllers and TV displays.<\/p>\n
There are positives and negatives to this Windows approach. Positives: Project Helix, as hinted by Bond, will be an open platform able to run other stores and game launchers, like Steam and Battle.net, giving Xbox players access to an unimaginably vast library of games.<\/p>\n
The downside? Windows is not an elegant or efficient platform for gaming, and based on mixed results with the Xbox Ally, the Full Screen Experience in its current form needs a lot of work before it\u2019s as reliable and quick to use as other console interfaces.<\/p>\n
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\n Will Project Helix be backward-compatible?
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Yes! Microsoft has already committed to this, despite the machine\u2019s similarity to a PC.<\/p>\n
Currently, Windows gaming devices like the Xbox Ally don\u2019t play Xbox console games. But, announcing Microsoft\u2019s partnership with AMD on the new machine, Bond vowed \u201ccompatibility with your existing library of Xbox games.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not clear how Microsoft\u2019s engineers will achieve this, but it\u2019s a must for the new console. From Xbox One onward, Xbox has spearheaded a backward-compatibility drive that forced the hand of Sony and Nintendo, and set in stone players\u2019 expectations that they can carry their game libraries forward. There\u2019s no going back now.<\/p>\n
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\n What games will Project Helix have?
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It\u2019s too early to name next-gen Xbox titles with any certainty, particularly with the possibility that the console will be delayed past 2027.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s worth pointing out that its library will be quite unlike any console\u2019s before it, though. If Microsoft continues with its current strategy, Project Helix may have no exclusive games at all. On the other hand, it will be able to run vast numbers of PC titles, past and present. As long as they play well with a controller, you should be able to load them.<\/p>\n
In terms of Microsoft-published titles that are likely to launch on Project Helix, The Elder Scrolls 6<\/em> is perhaps the biggest. A full-blown new Halo game, following this year\u2019s Halo: Campaign Evolved<\/em> remake, would make a good partner for a new console. Among third-party games, Larian\u2019s new Divinity <\/em>seems a likely bet for next-gen. And perhaps The Witcher 4<\/em> will end up as a next-gen, or cross-gen, title.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nothing has been announced about the next Xbox\u2019s technical makeup yet, beyond the fact that Microsoft will partner with AMD once again \u2014 just like Sony. The two console makers have used similar AMD architectures in their last two generations, making third-party developers\u2019 lives much easier.<\/p>\n Just like PS6, Project Helix is reportedly based on AMD\u2019s forthcoming Zen 6 processor and RDNA 5 graphics unit. And just like PS6, the target performance is 4K resolution at 120 frames per second (which is not to say that all games will hit this target \u2014 far from it).<\/p>\n However, there are rumors that Microsoft is looking to substantially outgun its rival on power this time around. Moore\u2019s Law is Dead says the final silicon has a larger die size than PS6\u2019s, is more similar to a PC than a console design, and will be both more powerful and more expensive than the Sony device. These reports are consistent with bullish comments made by former Xbox boss Bond in 2024. She said the Xbox team was targeting \u201cthe largest technical leap you will have ever seen in a hardware generation.\u201d<\/p>\n More power than PS6 for a higher price: It\u2019s a risky strategy that hasn\u2019t been tried in the console market for a long time. Will it work?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/static0.polygonimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/chorus\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/19958048\/tes6.jpg?q=70&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=1\")
\n <\/picture>\n What are Project Helix\u2019s tech specs? How powerful will it be?
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