The next-generation Xbox console will play both Xbox and PC games, and its codename is “Project Helix,” according to Asha Sharma, who took over as Microsoft’s gaming CEO last month.
“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,” Sharma wrote on X. “Project Helix will lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games. Looking forward to chatting about this more with partners and studios at my first GDC next week!”
Microsoft has already indicated that the next Xbox will be some kind of hybrid of a console and a PC, with former Xbox president Sarah Bond also saying that “The next-gen console is going to be a very premium, very high-end curated experience.”
In her first memo after taking over as Microsoft’s gaming boss, Sharma said that one of her big three commitments was the “return of Xbox,” saying that “We will celebrate our roots with a renewed commitment to Xbox starting with console which has shaped who we are.”
Sharma didn’t share specific details about when Project Helix might launch. In early February, AMD hinted that it would be ready to support a launch in 2027, though it’s unclear if that’s when the console will actually be available. (PlayStation is reportedly considering pushing back the debut of its next console to as late as 2029 due to the RAM crisis.)
At the GDC Festival of Gaming next week, Jason Ronald, Xbox’s VP of next generation who also reposted Sharma’s tweet, is hosting a talk titled “Building for the Future with Xbox” on Wednesday. “Join us for a conversation about the vision shaping the future of Xbox and how we’re building a more flexible, connected future for game creators and players everywhere,” according to a description of the session. Hopefully, we’ll get more details about Helix there.