Credit: Microsoft
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Xbox CEO Says Project Helix Will Be a 'Family of Devices'
August 31, 2026·3 min read
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has described Project Helix as a "family of devices," giving the clearest indication yet that Microsoft's next-generation Xbox plans extend beyond the single first-party console announced earlier this year.
Speaking to the BBC at Gamescom 2026, Sharma said Xbox has been working on "a great next generation and a great family of devices for Helix" and will share more soon. The comment came after she was asked whether Helix would be a discless console, a question she declined to answer directly. Microsoft has not explained how many devices are planned or what form they will take.
Microsoft formally introduced Project Helix at GDC in March as its next-generation first-party Xbox console. The company confirmed that the system is being designed to play both Xbox console and PC games, with a custom AMD system-on-chip powering the hardware.
Sharma's new description broadens what Microsoft has publicly said about the project. Xbox has not confirmed whether the Helix family will include multiple console models, handheld hardware, devices from other manufacturers, or another configuration.
The first Helix hardware is expected to reach developers in alpha form beginning in 2027, but Microsoft has not announced when consumers will be able to buy it.
Microsoft's plan to bring console and PC libraries closer together remains one of the few confirmed details about Helix. Xbox said in March that its next console will support both types of games, continuing the company's push to make the Xbox experience work across more devices.
Project Helix is also being co-designed for the next generation of DirectX and AMD's FSR technology. Microsoft says Helix will deliver an "order of magnitude leap" in ray-tracing performance and capability, although complete specifications have not been revealed.
Sharma also said Xbox needs to think more about affordability and efficiency as hardware costs rise. She pointed to the ongoing pressure on components such as storage and memory while discussing how Microsoft approaches its next generation.
Xbox had already warned in June that storage and memory costs were climbing sharply and said the industry was facing a hardware component crisis. Despite those pressures, Microsoft said it remained committed to Project Helix.
Microsoft has not announced the final Helix hardware lineup, pricing, design, or whether its next-generation console will include a disc drive.
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