Report: Xbox handheld for 2027, Project Helix for 2028 and it may cost $1200-$1800

Well-respected business publication Fortune has published an article looking at Xbox and Asha Sharma’s leadership of the brand.

They report that Game Pass will have a massive overhaul that would let “players choose features à la carte, including add-ons for console-only games, cloud gaming, and multiplayer, with the system operating on a tiered structure,”

As part of the plan to get Xbox back on track will be the launch of a new handheld console in 2027.

The report also suggests Project Helix, the next generation of Xbox, will launch in 2028. Fortune say that there have been internal battles within Microsoft as to what this new console would use as an OS.  Windows leaders naturally wanted it to run Windows, while Xbox wanted to stick with the Xbox OS, and tensions between the two teams reportedly became so high that the project was nearly cancelled. Xbox eventually won the fight but is still working with the Windows team,

Fortune also say that deadlines have been moved up, putting pressure on the Project Helix team to use AI to help solve issues.

Now here’s the bit you clicked for…

“As it stands, the price of the Helix console has internally been projected to cost consumers between $1,200 and $1,800, unless Microsoft decides to subsidize the cost,”  say Fortune.

Now I don’t know about you, but that’s a hard no from me. Consoles are a luxury at the best of times but I can’t see many people rushing to buy a console at that price. However, Xbox need their next console to do well, they are trailing third in this generation behind Nintendo and PlayStation

The report also suggests that there will be even more layoffs at Xbox this month, November, and in January 2027, with the information coming from “people familiar with the plans said, although layoff plans can change.”

Source: Fortune

Tags: Project Helix