Report: Microsoft's Project Helix planned for 2028 with an internal $1,200 to $1,800 price projection
Microsoft reportedly projects $1,200 to $1,800 price for 2028 Project Helix
Fortune reported that Microsoft plans a next-generation handheld by the end of next year and a console for the 2028 holiday season, with the console internally projected at $1,200 to $1,800. The outlet said consumer pricing could come down if Microsoft decides to subsidize the cost. The piece also notes the Steam Machine broke the $1,000 starting price this year, the PS5 Pro sells for $900, and the Xbox Series X starts at $750.
We haven't heard many details about Microsoft's upcoming "Project Helix" gaming hardware since the company announced it in March as a device that will "play your Xbox and PC games." In a new wide-ranging profile of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, though, Fortune alludes to a dual release strategy for upcoming Microsoft gaming hardware, with "a next-generation handheld device" planned by the end of next year and a 2028 holiday season console release that could cost between $1,200 and $1,800.
That future console price range is based on what has "internally been projected" at the company, according to Fortune. But the price for consumers could come down if "Microsoft decides to subsidize the cost," the outlet says, as many console makers have done in the past.
While a $1,200 starting price would be historically high for the game console market, even accounting for inflation, it also reflects a new normal: The slowdown in Moore's Law and AI-driven component shortages mean cutting-edge gaming hardware just isn't as cheap as it used to be. This year, the Steam Machine broke the $1,000 starting price, while the 2-year-old technology in the PlayStation 5 Pro is now going for $900, and the 6-year-old Xbox Series X now starts at $750.
Source: Ars Technica · arstechnica.com