Microsoft is preparing a major Xbox Game Pass overhaul, a next-generation handheld device for the 2027 holiday season, and a next-gen console codenamed Project Helix for the 2028 holidays, according to a Fortune report cited by The Verge. The scoop paints the clearest picture yet of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma's roadmap for the brand she took over in February.
The Verge reports that the next Xbox console could cost between $1,200 and $1,800 unless Microsoft subsidizes the hardware, a price point that would make Project Helix one of the most expensive consoles ever launched. The report also says Xbox is now controlling the software direction of Helix after clashes between the Windows and Xbox teams.
Xbox Project Helix: handheld, console and AMD chips
The Fortune report does not make clear whether the handheld will be built by Microsoft itself or by a partner like Asus, which co-made the Xbox Ally devices running a modified Windows 11 with an Xbox mode. Sharma has described Project Helix as a "family of devices," suggesting the next Xbox generation may span more than one piece of hardware.
Last year Microsoft and AMD announced a strategic multi-year partnership to work on a portfolio of devices, including Microsoft's next-generation console, and it now seems increasingly likely that this will cover a range of Xbox devices running on AMD's new chips.
- Next-generation handheld: targeted for the 2027 holiday season
- Next-gen console (Project Helix): targeted for the 2028 holidays
- Possible price: $1,200 to $1,800 without a Microsoft subsidy
