"Project Helix": The new Xbox is coming - and supports PC games

Domagoj Belancic

6-3-2026

Translation: machine translated

Microsoft lets the cat out of the bag and announces the next Xbox generation. In doing so, the company confirms an explosive rumour.

The new Xbox boss Asha Sharma took over the management of Microsoft's gaming division from her predecessor Phil Spencer two weeks ago. Now she is causing a stir with an announcement on X. In the post, Sharma announces the new Xbox generation.

Internally, the new Xbox is being traded as «Project Helix». However, it is unlikely that this will be the final name - earlier project names such as «Project Scorpio» (Xbox One X) or «Project Scarlett» (Xbox Series X/S) were also later discarded.

Industry insiders have been reporting for months that Microsoft is planning an open Xbox that will also run Steam games. Sharma confirms the rumours, although she doesn't explicitly mention Steam. She writes: «Project Helix is expected to set new standards in performance and support both Xbox and PC games.»

The switch from a closed console system to an open, powerful PC hybrid is likely to mean one thing above all: The new Xbox will be expensive. In order to keep up with current high-end PCs, Microsoft will have to install decent hardware. The current situation with exorbitant storage and RAM prices also paints a bleak picture. It is quite possible that the Redmond-based company is deliberately moving away from the mass console market with the new generation and targeting a smaller premium segment.

From Microsoft's perspective, the question also arises as to how the company will be able to generate cash for Xbox with this new strategy. The traditional console business model is based on a closed ecosystem. The platform operator earns money from every transaction made in its store. With an open Xbox, however, the money also flows into third-party stores from which Microsoft does not benefit.

The PC comes into the living room

With the announcement of «Project Helix», Microsoft is confirming a trend that has been emerging for some time. PC gaming no longer takes place exclusively at the desk, but also in the living room.

Last year, Valve announced the Steam Machine - a console-like mini PC that fits perfectly in the living room. As a result, the boundaries between the two previously clearly separate business areas - console and PC gaming - are becoming increasingly blurred.

Sony's PC withdrawal also makes sense against this backdrop. The company no longer wants to publish single-player games such as «Ghost of Yotei» or «Saros» on Steam and in the Epic Games Store.

The fact that such prestigious Playstation games could also run on Xbox or Steam machines in the living room in future was probably too much for Sony.

What's next?

Sharma announces in her post that she will be attending the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco next week. There she wants to talk to many partners and studios about Microsoft's vision for next-gen hardware. However, you should not expect any official news about «Project Helix» for the time being.

Sharma also confirmed that she still believes in the «return of the Xbox». However, there is still no further clarification of this mantra, which she already voiced at her inauguration. Will exclusive games return? Does Microsoft finally want to make a comeback with the new Xbox and attack Playstation?

Phil has analysed Microsoft's past with the Xbox in an article and reveals where the path could lead for the beleaguered gaming giant:

Domagoj Belancic

Senior Editor

Domagoj.Belancic@digitecgalaxus.ch

My love of video games was unleashed at the tender age of five by the original Gameboy. Over the years, it's grown in leaps and bounds.

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