GoKawiilReport: Next Xbox 'Helix' targeted for 2028, could cost $1,200-$1,800
According to a Fortune profile of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, Microsoft's next-generation console, codenamed Helix, is now targeted for the 2028 holiday season rather than 2027, with internal pricing estimates ranging from $1,200 to $1,800 unless subsidized. A separate Xbox-branded handheld capable of running digital console games could still arrive in 2027. Sharma is also reportedly planning to restructure Game Pass into an à la carte model with optional add-ons.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The delay and steep pricing reflect how AI data center demand has driven up DRAM and NAND costs industry-wide, squeezing console makers' margins on memory-heavy hardware. Sony faces similar pressure, with PS6 component costs reportedly nearing $1,000, suggesting both companies may be forced to rethink pricing strategies or launch timing across the industry. Sharma's reported Game Pass overhaul could signal an attempt to offset hardware cost pressure by restructuring recurring revenue instead.
- Next Xbox 'Helix' may launch in 2028, later than earlier 2027 rumors suggested.
- Internal estimates put its price between $1,200 and $1,800 due to rising memory costs.
- A separate Xbox handheld supporting console games could still arrive in 2027, alongside a possible Game Pass restructuring.
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Published there as: “The next Xbox could arrive in 2028 for $1,200 to $1,800, Xbox handheld may launch in 2027”
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