Microsoft recently announced the codename for its next Xbox console, Project Helix, and that it would also play existing PC game libraries too – but it’s looking like gamers will have to pay a premium for the privilege.
Although Microsoft hasn’t announced pricing – or even a release window – for Project Helix just yet, speculation is already starting to swirl about just how much this machine is going to cost.
One industry insider reckons that it’s going to be touching the $1,000 price mark, with the most conservative estimates falling around the $900 range. That’s almost twice as much as the Xbox Series X launched for back in 2020.
The industry insider in question is Moore’s Law is Dead, a prominent figure in the gaming world who regularly podcasts about the hardware side of gaming. In his most recent video, he tots up the cost of the basic components that Project Helix is going to use and lands at a figure of around $900 if Microsoft were to sell them at cost.
That’s a pretty pricey figure, but honestly, not one that we should be surprised at. Not only is Microsoft seemingly targeting a more ‘premium’ price bracket with its next console, hardware in general is currently going through an incredibly tumultuous time as AI server farms continue to hoard the world’s RAM resources.
When announcing Project Helix last week, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said, For me, we’re long on gaming. We’ll continue to invest, and we’ll always do so,” as reported by Windows Central.
The next console from Microsoft will run both PC and Xbox games, with it heavily rumoured that storefronts like Steam and the Epic Games Store will be available natively on the new hardware. This is supported by Xbox’s ROG Ally X handheld console that launched last year.
The Xbox Fullscreen Experience is also coming to Windows 11 natively next month with a rebrand to ‘Xbox Mode’. This will unify all games installed on the system, no matter the launcher, and will also reduce the amount of background processes run by Windows for a smoother gaming experience.
It’s thought that all of these changes are laying the foundation for the next Xbox console, which is likely to be a glorified gaming PC at this point.
Still, given PC gaming is also affected drastically by the ongoing RAM crisis, grabbing a gaming machine for $900 in 2027 seems like a bit of a steal in comparison.
There’s currently no launch date for Xbox’ Project Helix, but AMD announced earlier this year that it’s aiming for a 2027 window in its hardware partnership with the company. That’s plenty of time to start saving up, then.
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