Quick Summary
A leaked Xbox memo suggests Project Helix could be the most backward compatible console ever released.
It is suggested it will be capable of playing every game released in the last quarter of a century for all Xbox consoles.
Gaming is in a weird spot right now, with price rises every which way, mass redundancies across multiple studios and publishers, and a reset by Xbox to try to stabilise its financial situation. The current console generation is in a perilous state, let alone the next one.
However, one leak has given us a more positive outlook on what we can expect in the coming year or so. A memo obtained by The Verge suggests that Xbox's next console, Project Helix, could be an endgame machine – and not just because it'll play PC titles.
Acquired by The Verge's resident Microsoft expert, Tom Warren, the leaked memo suggests Helix will be capable of running every game released through Xbox's history.
That won't just include the backward compatible games already available on Xbox Series X/S, but everything – as long as the publishers approve.
It is claimed this will mean the next-gen console will offer a vast library of available games from day one, with compatibility with original Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S titles. Plus new Helix games too, of course.
Will Xbox Project helix have a disc drive?
The gaming giant is yet to decide whether it will include a disc drive, but at the very least you'll be able to access an archive of digital games released in the last 25 years.
On top of this, while it's possible the internal hardware could be downgraded from the "premium" specs originally planned – thanks to the component crisis and costs – there are still plans for the machine to support PC games. So if Steam was included, for example, the launch lineup for Project Helix would run into many thousands of games available across Xbox and Windows.
The memo itself was allegedly sent to publishers, to convince them to allow their games to work through backward compatibility. It asks them to range their older titles on the Xbox Store, it seems.
This strategy won't be exclusive to Helix. Xbox has already started to release backward compatibility onto PC, with original Xbox games now being playable on PCs and gaming handhelds. It is expected to follow-up with Xbox 360 titles soon.
Of course, this is just a memo for now and plans can certainly change. But if Xbox does manage to get the vast majority of publishers and developers on its side, it makes Helix a compelling prospect – especially if Sony follows tradition with its PlayStation 6 and curbs backward compatibility to the last generation or so.
