Microsoft's 2028 Xbox Project Helix Console Projected at $1,200 to $1,800

Fortune’s report, summarized by Ars Technica and Engadget, describes a two-device rollout. A next-generation handheld is planned for the 2027 holiday season, while the full console is expected in the 2028 holiday season. Ars Technica said the handheld was planned “by the end of next year,” a reference to 2027. Microsoft announced Project Helix in March as hardware that will “play your Xbox and PC games.”

The $1,200 to $1,800 figure is based on internal projections, Fortune reported. The outlet said the consumer price could fall if Microsoft decides to subsidize the cost, as console makers have done in the past. Ars Technica noted that a $1,200 starting price would be historically high even adjusted for inflation. It pointed to the current market: the Steam Machine broke the $1,000 starting price, the PlayStation 5 Pro is selling for $900, and the six-year-old Xbox Series X now starts at $750.

Engadget reported that high component costs and shortages could make Project Helix expensive, with prices for RAM and other components rising because of AI development. If the projected price holds, Engadget said, it could be a major roadblock for Sharma’s goal of seeing Xbox reach more than 1 billion people daily. Xbox currently has a reported 100 million daily active users. Engadget also said much could change in the next two years: a lower final price could make Microsoft appear more benevolent toward customers, or the price could remain high and make growth harder.

In an August interview, Sharma hinted that Project Helix would be a “family” of gaming devices, Engadget reported. Fortune also reported, citing unnamed insiders, that Xbox’s Game Pass could be overhauled with a la carte pricing and add-ons for console-only games, cloud gaming and multiplayer. The next rounds of layoffs in Xbox’s downsizing effort are expected this month, followed by additional cuts planned for November and January, according to Engadget.