Will Project Helix be a traditional console?

According to Asha Sharma, it will instead be a family of devices. Microsoft is aiming to unify console and PC experiences under a single ecosystem, though details remain vague.

When will developers be able to test Project Helix?

Microsoft has promised to send alpha versions of the hardware to developers starting in 2027, according to the official Xbox Wire announcement in March.

How much will Project Helix cost?

No pricing has been announced yet. Sharma talks about pricing accessibility, but the Series S and X just underwent price increases of $100 to $150.

Will Project Helix have a disc drive?

The CEO dodged the question during her BBC interview, giving no direct answer on this feature.

Project Helix: Xbox CEO talks about a "family of devices," not a console

At gamescom 2026, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma used a plural in front of the BBC that changes how we read the next generation. She was asked whether Project Helix would be disc-drive-free. She dodged, then let slip that her teams are working "on a great next generation and a great family of devices for Helix."

A family of devices, then, not a console. Microsoft has never put that plural in writing: the phrase only appears in the video interview the BBC published on August 28. Xbox has already sold two models in parallel, Series S and Series X; the novelty here is the PC entering the equation.

What Microsoft had already written

The March 11 Xbox Wire post, signed by Jason Ronald, remains the only official source. It refers to Helix in the singular, "our next-generation first-party console," "designed to play your Xbox console and PC games," and promises "alpha versions of the hardware to developers beginning in 2027." Sharma added nothing about the date or the price.

The word affordability raises eyebrows

She believes "all of the industry needs to start to innovate on affordability and efficiency," something Xbox "has never had to do." Yet Microsoft raised the price of the Series S and X on August 1, by $100 on the 512 GB model and $150 on the 1 TB model, citing memory costs that have more than 2.5x'd. The Series S 512 GB now lists at $499.99 and the Series X 1 TB at $799.99. She calls the moment a "Rampocalypse." Promising affordability while hardware prices climb remains a gamble: it will be judged on the price tags.