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New Xbox CEO Asha Shar has taken to X to reveal that Microsoft's next-generation console carries the official codename Project Helix.
"Great start to the morning with Team Xbox, where we talked about our commitment to the return of Xbox including Project Helix, the code name for our next generation console," Xbox CEO tweeted.
As rumours suggested previously, Project Helix will play both Xbox and PC games. That's the first time anyone at Microsoft has said this explicitly and openly, and it changes the conversation considerably. Reliable reports revealed earlier that the next gen Xbox will also run storefronts like Steam and Epic Games Store.
Project Helix will "lead in performance"
Shar described the console as leading in performance, suggesting that Microsoft will put a bigger emphasis on that than before.
"Project Helix will lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games."
It's possible and likely that Microsoft positions this console as a true premium piece of hardware, which also means a higher price.
Beyond the PC game compatibility and the performance promise, specific details remain scarce. Shar added that she will be discussing Project Helix further with partners and studios at GDC next week, her first GDC as Xbox CEO, suggesting more information is on its way very shortly.
Xbox has spent the last few years aggressively blurring the boundaries between console and PC gaming through Game Pass, Play Anywhere titles, and cross-platform releases. Project Helix appears to be the hardware embodiment of that strategy taken to its logical conclusion.
A console that plays your PC library is a fundamentally different proposition to anything currently on the market, and if Microsoft can execute on that promise, it could reshape how players think about buying into the Xbox ecosystem entirely.
GDC kicks off next week. Expect considerably more details as Microsoft officially kicks off the next-gen hype that comes every six to seven years.
