Not only do we know that there will be at least one more Xbox console, but we also know that the current console is called Project Helix. Not much is known about the console at this early stage, although Xbox VP Jason Ronald has shared additional details in response to the inaccurate leak.
Leak claims Project Helix could be a third-party console.
A leaker named KeplerL2, who often claims to have internal hardware knowledge, responded to NeoGAF's questions about Project Helix. They claimed that, similar to ROG Xbox Ally, Project Helix will be a third-party system. External partners, including ASUS, will make the consoles, but they will be under the Xbox brand.
This makes sense considering the hybrid nature of Project Helix combined with Xbox's work with ASUS on the ROG Ally model, but chatter on social media following the leak has raised some concerns. Those holding out hope that Xbox will have a future in the hardware space will feel like the monkey's paw when they hear that it might not be making another console, although it's very likely that it won't be made of its own.
Project Helix will be a first-party console
Don't worry, the leak isn't exact. According to Jason Ronald, yes. Ronald is the Vice President of Xbox Gaming Devices and Ecosystem and has been at Microsoft since before Xbox launched, so he probably knows a thing or two about what's coming.
Ronald sent a short message to a post on Twitter sharing the supposed Project Helix leak, hoping to clear it up and prevent claims that third-party companies will do more with Project Helix than it already has. “Project Helix will be available on our consoles,” Ronald responded. So there it is.
There are ways to analyze the response that suggest that the leak is not completely inaccurate. Ronald confirmed that Project Helix will be coming to first-party consoles, perhaps suggesting that there will be other options available for those who want it. If it's true and executed well, it's not a terrible idea. It's the standard first-party Project Helix for console gamers who want to continue playing games on their Xbox console, and it may also be a more powerful and pricier ASUS option for those who want their next Xbox to be more of a PC than a console.
Whatever Xbox has planned for Project Helix, it looks like users will have more of a say in the company's next-gen direction than ever before. New CEO Asha Sharma has reportedly put together a team to track fan feedback and find ways to realistically implement what players are asking for. This has already been shown with Xbox's recent achievements update, and it looks like Game Pass will be the next step, with Sharma himself admitting the service has become too expensive.
- brand
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microsoft
- original release date
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November 10, 2020
- Original MSRP (USD)
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$499
- operating system
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Proprietary (Windows-based)
- processor
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Custom AMD 8-core Zen 2 3.8GHz
- solve
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720p – 4K UHD
