Microsoft is reportedly planning to launch an Xbox “next-generation handheld device” for the holiday season of 2027. The Xbox next-gen console, codename Project Helix, would then launch in the holidays of 2028, according to a new report from Fortune .
What happened
The Xbox next-gen console, codename Project Helix, would then launch in the holidays of 2028, according to a new report from Fortune .
Where the sources line up
The report doesn’t make it clear whether the handheld would be made by a manufacturer like Asus, or by Microsoft itself. Xbox teamed up with Asus for its Xbox Ally devices, which ran a modified version of Windows 11 with an Xbox mode enabled. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has also described Project Helix as a “ family of devices ,” suggesting that Microsoft’s next Xbox console may not be just one piece of hardware.
Practical impact for readers
Last year Microsoft and AMD announced a “strategic multi-year partnership” to work together on “a portfolio of devices,” including Microsoft’s next-generation console. It seems increasingly likely that this will include a range of “Xbox” devices, running on AMD’s new chips.
Who should pay attention now
The regular next-generation Xbox console may not arrive until 2028, though. Fortune reports that Microsoft is currently projecting that its Xbox Project Helix console may cost “between $1,200 to $1,800” for consumers, unless Microsoft is willing to subsidize the cost of the hardware.
What is still unclear
Microsoft’s Windows and Xbox teams have also reportedly clashed over what software will power the next-gen Xbox. That’s not terribly surprising given the two teams have clashed multiple times over the past 25 years of Xbox. It sounds like Xbox is now controlling the direction of the software on Helix, though.
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