The Gaming Brief:
- Fortune reports the Project Helix console is internally projected at $1,200 to $1,800 unless Microsoft subsidizes it
- The console is reportedly targeted for holiday 2028, with a next-generation Xbox handheld arriving by the 2027 holidays
- Microsoft hasn’t announced a price or date, and the unannounced details come from anonymous company sources
- Earlier leaker estimates sat closer to $999 to $1,200
The next Xbox may cost far more than most players expected. According to Gamespot, citing Fortune reports, Microsoft’s Project Helix console has internally been projected at $1,200 to $1,800, unless the company subsidizes the hardware.
The launch is reportedly targeted for 2028, while a next-generation handheld is reportedly due first. However, Microsoft hasn’t confirmed a price or date itself.
$1,200 to $1,800 Sits Above Earlier Leaker Estimates
As Notebook Check says, earlier indications from Moore’s Law Is Dead, the leaker who predicted the RTX 6000 series 2027 launch, place the expected MSRP at around $1,000.
Fortune’s range is an internal projection before any subsidy.
GameSpot notes that platform holders often absorb part of a console’s cost, pointing out that Phil Spencer said Microsoft lost as much as $200 on each Xbox Series X|S at its 2020 launch.
Reports also say Xbox revenue fell 7% to $21.8 billion and its margin dropped to 3%, which suggests little room for a large subsidy.
AI Memory Shortages and a Custom AMD Chip Frame the Price
The price pressure reflects AI-driven component shortages, already evident in PS5 Pro pricing, and Microsoft itself is a backer of the AI buildout.
Memory makers like SK Hynix expect supply to tighten further in 2027.
On the hardware side, earlier reports revealed Helix will use a custom AMD chip, and Sharma has said it will play both Xbox and PC games.
Engadget suggests a $1,800 price could become a roadblock for Sharma’s goal of seeing Xbox reach more than 1 billion people daily.
The Handheld Comes First, After an Internal Fight Over Its Operating System
Fortune reports Microsoft may release a next-generation Xbox handheld by the end of 2027, though no pricing or specifications have surfaced.
Windows leaders reportedly wanted it to run a trimmed-down Windows Home, while the Xbox team pushed for dedicated software, possibly to prevent the background power drain that plagues MSI Claw A1M handhelds.
A senior Xbox executive reportedly threatened to scrap the handheld rather than ship the Windows build. Xbox is now largely steering the OS, and Sharma reportedly told Fortune, “We can’t build Helix on our own.”
Source: Next-Gen Xbox Could Be $1,800 And Launch In 2028 – Report
