Fortune’s recent profile of Xbox chief executive Asha Sharma revealed new details about the company’s upcoming hardware strategy. The piece referenced Project Helix, a next‑generation Xbox that will also run PC games, and hinted at both pricing and launch windows. According to the report, the handheld version of the system is slated for the 2027 holiday season, while the full‑size console could arrive sometime in 2028. Sharma has previously described Project Helix as a “family” of gaming devices, so multiple releases fit that vision.
What has drawn the most attention is the projected cost. Fortune cited internal estimates that place the console’s price between $1,200 and $1,800 unless Microsoft decides to subsidize the hardware. Analysts say that rising prices for RAM and other components, driven by the surge in AI development, could push the figure toward the higher end. If the price does reach that level, it could hinder Sharma’s ambition to expand Xbox’s daily user base beyond the current roughly 100 million toward a target of more than a billion.
Industry observers note that a steep price could make the console less appealing than cheaper alternatives such as the Steam Machine, especially for consumers wary of spending close to $2,000 on a single device. Some speculate that the high estimate may be a negotiating tactic, allowing Microsoft to present a lower final price as a customer‑friendly move.
The Fortune article also mentioned possible changes to Xbox Game Pass. Unnamed insiders suggested the service might shift to a la carte pricing model, offering separate add‑ons for console‑only titles, cloud gaming and multiplayer features. In addition, the report indicated that Xbox’s ongoing downsizing will see another round of layoffs this month, with further cuts planned for November and January.