# Project Helix: Next Xbox Console Details

> Microsoft's next Xbox console, Project Helix, will cost $1,200-$1,800 and launch in 2028 holiday season.
- Title: Project Helix: Next Xbox Console Details · Polygon | Shortify
- Summary: Microsoft's next Xbox console, Project Helix, will cost $1,200-$1,800 and launch in 2028 holiday season. Microsoft plans to release Project Helix, a…
- Keywords: project helix, xbox series, microsoft, xbox console, windows, backward compatibility, price, release date, gaming, culture, Project, Helix
- Source: Polygon — https://polygon.com/next-xbox-console-release-date-price-project-helix
- Author: Oli Welsh
- Published: 2026-10-22T20:12:23+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: project helix, xbox series, microsoft, xbox console, windows, backward compatibility, price, release date, gaming, culture
## Xbox's Six-Year Journey
Xbox Series consoles have sold poorly despite Microsoft's $67.9 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition.
## Leadership Shifts and Layoffs
Microsoft has faced leadership changes, mass layoffs, and studio closures since the Xbox Series launch.
## Project Helix Announcement
Microsoft has announced the next Xbox console, codenamed Project Helix, with no release date confirmed.
## Price Projection
A Fortune report states Project Helix will cost between $1,200 and $1,800, possibly subsidized by Microsoft.
## 2028 Release Date
Project Helix is scheduled for release in the 2028 holiday season, a delay from early 2026 projections.
## 2027 Handheld Plan
A next-generation handheld device is planned for release in 2027 holiday season.
## Windows-Based Console
Project Helix will be a Windows-based device that plays both Xbox and PC games.
## Backward Compatibility
Microsoft has committed to backward compatibility for existing Xbox games on Project Helix.
## Price vs. Previous Estimates
Project Helix's price is higher than earlier estimates from gaming tech YouTuber Moore's Law is Dead.
## Xbox Ally Connection
The Xbox Ally handheld is an early version of Project Helix with a Full Screen Experience interface.
## Tech Specs
Project Helix will use AMD's Zen 6 processor and RDNA 5 graphics unit for 4K at 120 frames per second.
## Power vs. Price
Project Helix is expected to be more powerful than PlayStation 6 but at a higher price.
## Handheld Device Plans
A handheld device is planned for release in 2027, with OS development tussles between Windows and Xbox teams.
## Next-Gen Games
The Elder Scrolls 6 and Halo are likely next-gen titles for Project Helix, with potential for The Witcher 4.
## Key takeaway

Microsoft plans to release Project Helix, a $1,200-$1,800 Windows-based Xbox console, in 2028 holiday season with backward compatibility for existing Xbox games.