What could Microsoft’s answer to PlayStation 6, Steam Machine, and Nintendo Switch 2 look like? Will Project Helix really be a Windows PC? We summarize the most important information for you.
The Xbox Series X and Series S have been on the market since November 2020, and a lot has changed during that time. An Xbox Windows handheld has been released, former bosses Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond have left, and Asha Sharma is now at the helm 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.
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
One of her first official acts: the announcement of the new Xbox generation, codenamed Project Helix. We summarize all the important information, rumors, and leaks known so far.
Project Helix: Price and release – it could be expensive
- Release: probably 2027
- Price: probably over $900
AMD CEO Lisa Su is said to have stated in a conference on the company’s financial results that the chip for the next Xbox should be ready in 2027. An announcement seven years after the release of the Series consoles sounds plausible.
It could be expensive if the next Xbox is primarily a Windows PC. The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X shows the direction things are heading: the Xbox-Windows hybrid has been released with an MSRP of €900.
A console version of this handheld, with more power, is likely to be more expensive, which is why a price tag of over €1,000 is not unlikely. Added to this is the ongoing memory shortage, which has increased prices for components across the board.
There is no concrete information on the price yet, but there are many indications that the next Xbox will not be a bargain.
Project Helix: Software and backward compatibility
- Operating system: probably Windows 11 with Xbox full-screen experience
- Backward compatibility: full compatibility with the previous generation and all PC games
According to the latest X post by Xbox boss Asha Sharma, it seems certain that the next Xbox will run on the Windows operating system.
This means:
- Project Helix will support Windows games and Xbox games. However, it is still unclear whether native console games from previous generations will be compatible or not.
- Xbox Play Anywhere will remain in place: anyone who buys a game can play it on their console, PC, or in the cloud.
- Multiplayer will be free. The integration of platforms such as Steam and the Epic Games Store will eliminate the previous Xbox Live fee for online gaming.
Microsoft’s goal seems clear: a unified platform that brings Xbox, PC, and cloud gamers together without barriers or exclusive models.
The Xbox handheld shows where things could be headed: The Asus ROG Xbox Ally (X) could be seen as an early handheld version of Project Helix. nbsp;
The device is primarily a portable Windows PC that boots directly into the Xbox full-screen app without even loading the Windows desktop. The next Xbox could work in a similar way:
- Steam and other launchers can be installed directly from the Xbox app.
- The user interface can be operated entirely with the controller.
- By reducing background processes, more system resources should be available for games.
However, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally (X) is not compatible with the native Xbox games of the Series consoles.
These must be played on the handheld via the cloud. Exceptions are titles that support Play Anywhere.
Project Helix performance: “Lead in performance”
At the heart of the next generation is the AMD Magnus APU, a specially developed chip manufactured using TSMC’s 3nm process. It combines state-of-the-art CPU, GPU, and AI technologies and is expected to make Project Helix even more powerful than Sony’s upcoming PlayStation 6.
However, this claim comes from “Moores Law is Dead,” which does not have the best reputation for accurate information, but we still don’t want to withhold it from you.
According to the leaks, Magnus offers:
- Zen 6 CPU with up to 11 cores and 12 MB L3 cache
- RDNA 5 or RDNA 6 GPU with 70 compute units
- Up to 48 GB GDDR7 RAM via a 192-bit interface
- XDNA 3 NPU with up to 110 TOPS AI performance
- Estimated power consumption: 250 – 350 watts
Microsoft is aiming for the performance level of modern high-end PCs – including local AI processing for features such as upscaling, game physics, and real-time assistants.
The combination of high computing power, AI acceleration, and a flexible Windows base is intended to make Project Helix a hybrid console that blurs the line between console and gaming PC.
It remains to be seen whether Microsoft will take this path and whether the new CEO, Asha Sharma, will be able to keep one of her most important promises:
“The Return of Xbox”
