Microsoft confirms Project Helix as next-generation Xbox console, and it can play PC games

In an unexpected turn of events, Microsoft has officially confirmed that its next-generation Xbox console is in development under the codename Project Helix. The reveal came from Asha Sharma, the new Xbox CEO, who shared the update in a post on X.

Sharma said the team discussed “our commitment to the return of Xbox including Project Helix”, alongside an image showing the codename. The upcoming console will effectively become the fifth-generation Xbox, following the current Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.

An Xbox that plays PC games

One key detail has already been confirmed: Project Helix will support both Xbox and PC games. Sharma said the console will “lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games”, reinforcing long-running rumours that Microsoft wants its next console to function more like a gaming PC.

The idea isn’t new. Former Xbox president Sarah Bond previously suggested that future Xbox hardware could move closer to PC-style architecture while continuing to support cross-platform play.

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More details about Project Helix are expected when Microsoft meets developers and partners at the upcoming Game Developers Conference next week. For now, the confirmation signals that the next Xbox generation is officially underway.

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