Xbox boss reveals that Project Helix is ​​a “family of devices”.

Xbox boss Asha Sharma revealed new details about the next Xbox generation, Project Helix, at Gamescom. Microsoft is developing several devices to eliminate the long-standing separation between PC and console games.

Xbox is planning a new hardware family

Microsoft’s new generation of consoles will not consist of a single device. At Gamescom 2026 in Cologne, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma confirmed that a whole series of new devices – she specifically spoke of a “device family” – was being developed under the code name Project Helix. The goal is to create a platform that can play both classic console games and PC titles natively.

For the implementation, the company works closely with the hardware manufacturer AMD to design special processors. The focus is on technical flexibility, as the worlds of PC and console should merge. Users will be able to run their usual PC titles directly on the new hardware. This architecture brings the system closer to a classic computer, but retains the optimized user interface.

Diverse models expected

Sharma explained in an interview with the BBC that the team wants to continue pushing the performance boundaries for Project Helix. Microsoft plans to target different target groups with the new device family. The strategy of different price points is intended to make entry into the ecosystem easier. In addition to classic stationary consoles, strategic planning includes alternative form factors. Microsoft is actively examining the expansion of the hardware to mobile applications as well as purely cloud-based solutions. Confirmed concepts for the new generation include:

Open details about the drive

One unresolved issue is future support for physical disks. During the presentation, Sharma was not clear about an integrated disc drive for the Project Helix models (or parts thereof). However, Microsoft recently launched a program to convert physical games into digital licenses. This underlines the company’s growing focus on the digital distribution of software. Microsoft has not yet communicated exact technical specifications and official prices.

Software developers will probably receive the first early versions of the new hardware next year in order to adapt their games to the upcoming platform. It will be at least two years before the device family is launched on the market – unless the memory crisis disrupts the schedule even further.