3 min readNew DelhiMar 6, 2026 02:44 PM IST
In its first glimpse of the next-generation Xbox consoles, Microsoft has revealed it is developing the upcoming Xbox under the codename Project Helix. The company confirmed that the new console will deliver high performance and enable users to play both Xbox and PC games.
The announcement was made by Asha Sharma, who was recently named as CEO of Microsoft’s gaming division. In a social media post, Sharma said the company had begun discussing the future of Xbox with its development teams and partners, highlighting Project Helix as a key part of that plan.
A new direction for Xbox hardware
According to Sharma, Project Helix is expected to focus on performance while expanding the range of games that players can access. The console is being designed to support Xbox content, as well as traditional PC gaming content.
The approach implies that the company is moving towards a more flexible gaming platform rather than sticking to the traditional console model. The company is trying to create a gaming platform that gives users more choices while maintaining the simplicity of a gaming console.
On its X account, Xbox also acknowledged the codename online, confirming that Project Helix represents the company’s next major step in console development.
Renewed focus on Xbox consoles
Since taking over the gaming business at Microsoft, Sharma has spoken about bringing renewed attention to Xbox hardware. In one of her first internal messages to staff, she described the “return of Xbox” as one of the team’s major priorities.
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.
Project Helix will lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games. Looking forward to chatting about… pic.twitter.com/Xx5rpVnAZI
— Asha (@asha_shar) March 5, 2026
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
While the gaming industry has increasingly shifted toward playing across multiple devices—such as cloud platforms, PCs and mobile phones—Sharma said the console remains central to the brand’s identity. She noted that Xbox hardware has played a defining role in shaping the company’s gaming history.
At the same time, she acknowledged that modern gaming no longer exists on a single device. Microsoft has recently been expanding its strategy by making some of its games available beyond the Xbox platform, including on competing systems.
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Launch timeline still unclear
While Microsoft has not revealed when Project Helix will officially launch, industry discussions suggest that hardware partners may be preparing technology that could support a release later in the decade, though no timeline has been confirmed.
More details may emerge soon, as Jason Ronald is scheduled to speak at an upcoming gaming conference about the future direction of Xbox. The session is expected to focus on how Microsoft plans to build a more connected gaming ecosystem for both developers and players.
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