News of Xbox first-party hardware's death continues to be greatly exaggerated, as incoming CEO Asha Sharma re-commits to new hardware.
Xbox next-gen console hardware is coming into view, and it now has a project name: Helix.
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/Xx5rpVnAZIMarch 5, 2026
Of course, "Helix" won't be the name of the next-gen Xbox system itself. Microsoft uses a variety of codenames for its projects of all shapes and sizes. Previously we've had Durango for Xbox 360, Scorpio for the Xbox One X, Anaconda for the Xbox Series X, and Lockhart for the Xbox Series S. We also had Kennan for the Xbox Ally handheld range last year.
Officially-confirmed details on the Project Helix Xbox remain scant. From our reporting, we know it'll essentially be a gaming PC at its core, with the Xbox Full Screen Experience from the Xbox Ally handheld as its front-end. Microsoft is working around the clock to make the Xbox Full Screen Experience for PC feel as close to a "polished" console experience as possible, taking the view that exiting out to Windows should be entirely optional.
As such, Xbox Helix will be the most open Xbox ever. You'll be able to boot up the Windows Desktop from here, and install other PC stores such as Steam, Epic Games, GOG, Riot Client, Battle.net, and much more. In theory, you'll also be able to install Adobe Premier, Streamlabs, and other content creation tools, and even coding programs and whatever else Windows 11 has available. Decades of software compatibility awaits.
But, critically, will people actually want this thing? Xbox hardware has more challenges to endure than ever on this front.
The huge challenge, and huge opportunity facing Xbox Helix
Assuming Xbox doesn't change its strategy on this front, it's hard to say how many units Microsoft can expect to sell of Xbox Helix without exclusive content. With Halo, Gears, Forza, and Fable now going to PlayStation, why, if I'm a new user, would I ever buy an Xbox in a universe where PlayStation has access to the biggest library of content? Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said in our previous interview that she plans to examine why Xbox has made the decisions it has made regarding things like this, so things could potentially change down the line.
But either way, armed with Steam and other PC stores, the Xbox "PC" Helix would have the biggest combined content library on earth. It will be the only gaming PC that gives broad access to Xbox console games. That's sounds like a compelling selling point for anyone who is already in the ecosystem, such as myself. However, for anyone who has yet to consider an Xbox, I'm not sure if it's enough to consider over Steam or PlayStation — especially if it's priced in-line with other similarly specced PC gaming hardware. PlayStation is rumored to be pulling back from PC game releases too, compounding its premium content library.
Microsoft might be able to leverage its big contracts with component manufacturers to drive costs down, making the "Xbox PC" the most affordable way to enter a 4K PC gaming ecosystem. But that's a very pie-in-the-sky assumption. Xbox Game Pass is no longer as compelling a unique selling point as it was previously, considering Xbox Game Pass now costs $29.99 per month for the day one games tier. Although, Xbox Game Pass has admittedly been on quite a tear recently, grabbing Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Witcher 3, among others.
Either way, there's little we actually know about Helix so far. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma was selected for the position based on her expertise for hyperscaling online platforms, such as Instacart and Facebook Messenger. There are few in the space with such an impressive resume in this direction. She understands the needs of vendors and partner platforms, and should have the knowledge to navigate gaming's complex relationship with social media adjacency — an angle Xbox and other legacy platforms have under-explored over the years in my view.
Then there's AI, for better or worse. The next-gen Xbox will undoubtedly have an NPU, like the Xbox Ally X. The Xbox Ally X now has AI-powered video clip curation, powered by your gaming sessions. It will also get AI-powered super resolution technology in the coming weeks, potentially boosting battery life without compromising perceived performance. It's compelling to think of ways this could help the Xbox punch above its weight in price-to-performance ratios.
Outgoing Xbox CEO Phil Spencer previously said he wants Xbox to win on the quality of its hardware, but is that really enough? Whether it's tariffs, evolving user behavior, the self-imposed exclusive content gap, or the generalized negative perception of Xbox — Asha Sharma and Xbox Helix face the brand's biggest test since it launched 25 years ago.
Poll: Should Xbox have exclusive games?
The debate over whether or not Xbox should have exclusive content has reignited since new CEO Asha Sharma took the reins. What do you think? Is it necessary for Xbox Helix to survive, or can hardware features and price do the heavy lifting?
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
