Microsoft has officially announced that the next-generation Xbox console is being developed under the codename Project Helix.
Last year, former Xbox boss Sarah Bond said “the next-gen console is going to be a very premium, very high-end curated experience.” She added that fans could see “some of the thinking” with their handheld PC/Xbox hybrid, the ROG Xbox Ally.
Bond had also said the new Xbox would “deliver the next generation of graphics innovation [and] unlock a deeper level of visual quality, immersive gameplay and player experiences enhanced with the power of AI.” She also promised it would be “fully compatible” with users’ existing Xbox game library.
Since then, there have been rumours about a $1000 price tag, a 2027 release date and Microsoft scrapping consoles completely.
Following the departure of Bond and Phil Spencer earlier this month, new Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma has now officially confirmed the next-generation of Xbox. “Great start to the morning with Team Xbox, where we talked about our commitment to the return of Xbox including Project Helix, the code name for our next generation console,” Sharma wrote on X yesterday (March 5). “Project Helix will lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games.” More details are expected to be revealed next week at GDC Festival Of Gaming.
Great start to the morning with Team Xbox, where we talked about our commitment to the return of Xbox including Project Helix, the code name for our next generation console.
Project Helix will lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games. Looking forward to chatting about… pic.twitter.com/Xx5rpVnAZI
— Asha (@asha_shar) March 5, 2026
Earlier this week, it was reported that Sony will stop releasing exclusive PlayStation titles on PC, due to the new Xbox’s ability to play PC games. “A faction within PlayStation has also expressed concern that releasing their games on PC risks damaging the console’s brand and will hurt sales of the PlayStation 5 and its successors, according to the people familiar with Sony’s inner workings,” explained a Bloomberg article.
Both the PS6 and the new Xbox were expected to launch next year but according to reports, that’s now a “best case scenario” with a 2029 release possible due to memory card supply issues.
In other news, The Pokémon Company has responded to Donald Trump’s White House sharing a “Make America Great Again” Pokopia meme on social media.
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