Microsoft has been expanding its Xbox hardware over the past year or so. First with new variants of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S in 2024, and last year with a range of Xbox-branded ROG Ally gaming handhelds. But what everyone is really waiting for is a next-generation Xbox console.
Last summer, Xbox president Sarah Bond announced Microsoft had signed a multi-year partnership with chip maker AMD for its next-generation hardware of home and handheld consoles, but details were scant.
Now, we’ve finally had another update, albeit a small one. Microsoft’s newly appointed gaming chief Asha Sharma has revealed that the next Xbox console is internally codenamed “Project Helix”.
Writing on social media, Sharma said Project Helix will “lead in performance” and will be able to play both “your Xbox and PC games”, hinting it could act more like a PC-games console hybrid. She added that more details will be unveiled at the Games Developers Conference taking place next week.
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.
— Asha (@asha_shar) March 5, 2026
Project Helix will lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games. Looking forward to chatting about… pic.twitter.com/Xx5rpVnAZI
That idea has been making the rounds for a while. In October 2025, multiple sources told Windows Central that Microsoft’s next Xbox could behave more like a gaming PC built for the living room. According to the report, the console could run a version of Windows designed for TVs, with a console-style interface and support for multiple PC storefronts, similar in spirit to Valve’s upcoming Steam Machine.
But when could it arrive? In a February earnings call, AMD’s chief executive officer, Lisa Su, said that Microsoft’s development of an Xbox with a semi-custom AMD chip is “progressing well to support a launch in 2027”.
While there’s no guarantee it’ll launch in 2027 – there’s currently a major RAM shortage driven by the boom in AI – at least we now have a rough timeframe.
It’s not the only console predicted to land that year, either. Rival gaming giant Sony has allegedly been targeting a 2026 launch for the PlayStation 6 as well, with November 2027 being touted as the potential release month. Although leaker Insider Gamer recently suggested the RAM shortage could see the console’s release date pushed to 2028.
The PS6 is predicted to be twice as powerful as the PS5 Pro, according to industry insider Moore’s Law is Dead, and the next Xbox might not come close.
Best Xbox deals
Refurbished Xbox Series X, 1TB: Was £479.99, now £350, Backmarket.co.uk
Can’t wait? While there aren’t any savings on the console right now, you can save a bit of cash by buying a refurbished Xbox Series X instead. In “good” condition at Back Market, the online retailer partners with trusted refurbishers in the UK who clean, test and certify the quality of each device before it is sold.
We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about the Valve Steam Machine
