Five years after the launch of the XBOX Series X and S, Microsoft has now unveiled its latest console, named “Project Helix,” promising a “lead in performance” while having the capabilities to play both XBOX and PC games, a departure from its previous machines.
While details are still limited, XBOX CEO Asha Sharma reaffirmed Microsoft’s continued commitment to dedicated gaming hardware, despite speculation that the company might shift toward cloud-based ecosystems.
Also, hardware specifications have not yet been announced, but the console is expected to include AMD chips following their strategic, multi-year partnership to co-engineer custom chips for their consoles and handheld devices.
Project Helix is also expected to emphasize high performance while maintaining compatibility with existing XBOX game libraries.
The console could potentially house PC storefronts like Steam or Epic Games, blurring the distinction between console and PC gaming. A direction Microsoft has increasingly leaned toward through cross-platform development tools and shared libraries across XBOX and Windows.
Official announcements for its release have been held off as well, but a comment from AMD CEO Lisa Su suggests it will be released sometime in 2027.
“From a product standpoint, development of Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox featuring an AMD semi-custom SoC is progressing well to support a launch in 2027,” she said during an earnings call.
Last year, Xbox president Sarah Bond described their next-gen console as a “very premium” product catered to the niche market, and rumors of an Xbox console that can run PC games are now confirmed following Project Helix’s announcement.
Given the current turmoil in the electronics supply chain, industry analysts cannot safely predict the pricing of the next-gen console. This state is mirrored by the current dilemma Valve’s Steam Machines have right now, and it’s supposed to launch this year.
