An Xbox higher-up has responded to a rumor regarding the next-generation platform Project Helix, clarifying a key detail about the machine, which can play both console and PC games. But his answer didn’t clear everything up.
A claim by leaker KelperL2 said Microsoft would sell Project Helix chips to companies like ASUS and MSI, thereby allowing people to buy a version of the system that runs on the Helix guts. This led to speculation that Project Helix was not in fact a first-party Xbox console and might be more akin to a third-party device like the Rog Ally X from Asus.
But that isn’t necessarily completely true, according to Xbox next-gen VP Jason Ronald. He said on social media, “Project Helix will be available as a 1st party Xbox console.”
The original leaker said Project Helix “won’t be sold directly to consumers” by Microsoft but would instead be available through third-party sources. Ronald’s statement makes it clear that Project Helix is a “first-party Xbox console,” but there is wiggle room there for other options to be available as well.
Microsoft has said the Project Helix system will help usher Xbox into a “more flexible, connected future.” At the Game Developers Conference this year, Ronald said the ambition of Project Helix is to meet players where they are.
“We’re breaking down the barriers between console and PC games for more seamless cross-device play, and we’re making the Xbox experience consistent across screens,” he said. “This also gives developers a simpler, more unified path to reach more players while helping reduce development costs.”
Project Helix’s ability to play PC games seemingly pits it against Valve’s Steam Machine, which is still expected to be released this year, despite the RAM crisis. Project Helix alpha kits are set to be sent to developers in 2027, so people should not expect to be able to buy one anytime soon.
In other Xbox news, Microsoft just recently announced a price cut for Xbox Game Pass and confirmed that new Call of Duty games will no longer be released into the library at launch. That move could be part of a bigger shakeup to come in the future, and one that fans may not be so happy about.