All articles tagged with #project helix
Xbox is sending Project Helix-branded gift boxes to US content creators, including a card signed by new Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma, as part of a promotional push ahead of a broader next-gen reveal. No hardware has been shown yet, but XboxIs signaling more details could come with upcoming events like the June Games Showcase.
Microsoft has announced the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 for Sunday June 7 at 6pm UK time, with global timings across PDT 10am, EDT 1pm, BST 6pm, CEST 7pm, JST 2am and AEST 3am; the show will be a double-header, featuring first the usual showcase with upcoming titles and gameplay, then an extended look at Gears of War: E-Day, as Xbox leadership under Asha Sharma signals a potential hardware push with Project Helix and a refreshed strategy for Game Pass.
Microsoft’s Project Helix is a forthcoming hybrid Xbox-PC console built around a 3nm AMD SoC with RDNA 5 and a dedicated AI unit, designed to natively run Xbox and PC games within a unified ecosystem. It features AI-powered NPCs and upscaling, advanced ray tracing via Radiance Cores, and DirectStorage with ZSD compression for faster loading, plus four-generation backward compatibility. Alpha development kits are planned for 2027 with a consumer launch anticipated around 2028 at a premium price of roughly $900–$1,200, positioning it against Sony’s PS6 at about $600.
New Xbox features—such as disabling Quick Resume and UI customization—rolled out to Insiders, with new CEO Asha Sharma calling it an early win and urging ongoing fan feedback. The move signals a renewed focus on the console experience and hints at a future Project Helix plan, though sustained follow-through remains to be seen.
Microsoft’s Xbox PC app preview now lets users manually add any Windows executable or CMD to the Xbox library via an Add Games To Library option, enabling in-app launches for a variety of games and apps (from YARG and iTunes to Sider). While initially benefiting ROG Xbox Ally users by keeping gameplay inside the Xbox interface, this feature hints at a broader, more open ecosystem ahead of Project Helix, potentially reducing the need to switch to Windows for non-traditional titles.
At GDC 2026 Microsoft unveiled Project Helix—a converged Xbox-Windows platform pairing an AMD-driven next-gen SoC with a renewed DirectX, aiming to run Xbox and PC with a shared codebase, enhanced ray tracing (including path tracing), ML-based upscaling (FSR Diamond), and cross-store compatibility; alpha dev kits ship in 2027, signaling an end to a fully separate console ecosystem and a PC-first future for Xbox.
The piece argues that Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) on handhelds is likely a testbed for Microsoft’s Project Helix, shaping Windows 11 into a controller-friendly, game-focused shell. While FSE improves handheld usability by suspending background processes and supporting multiple launchers, it’s still heavier and less optimized than SteamOS, with benchmark results showing minimal performance gains and a heavy emphasis on Game Pass ads. The article suggests Helix could adopt FSE-like ideas but must be faster, lighter, and more seamless to truly succeed.
Microsoft revealed Project Helix at GDC, a next‑gen Xbox designed as a hybrid that runs both console and Windows PC games. It uses a custom AMD system‑on‑chip (CPU+GPU) with next‑gen ray tracing and AI‑driven visuals, adds DirectX work graphs, neural texture compression, and DirectStorage to speed data from the SSD, and debuts AMD’s FSR Diamond to boost performance and image quality while supporting PC storefronts like Steam and Epic Games, signaling a future where Xbox leans into PC compatibility without losing its console focus.
Microsoft reveals Project Helix, its next-gen Xbox designed to play both console and PC games, powered by a custom AMD SoC and co-designed for the next generation of DirectX, featuring advanced ray tracing, neural rendering, ML-based upscaling, and Direct Storage. Alpha dev kits are slated to ship in 2027 as Microsoft shifts toward a PC-inclusive “future of play,” with Asha Sharma taking a leading gaming role following Phil Spencer’s retirement.
Microsoft executives outline a future where developers can build once and ship everywhere via Project Helix and a unified GDK, promising faster Xbox releases, easier PC-to-Xbox porting, and stronger indie discoverability across storefronts.
Microsoft revealed at GDC that the Xbox Backwards Compatibility Program is returning in some form for its 25th anniversary, promising new ways to play iconic games from four generations and hinting at PC support via Xbox mode and a unified development kit under the Project Helix plan, though concrete details are still forthcoming.
Xbox used GDC to unveil Project Helix, a next‑gen console built to play both console and PC games, powered by a custom AMD SoC for the next DirectX/FSR era, promising a major leap in ray tracing and cross‑play; alpha dev kits arrive 2027, and Windows 11 Xbox mode will help bridge console‑PC experiences ahead of a full reveal likely no earlier than 2028.
Microsoft is quietly removing references to its 2024 'This is an Xbox' marketing campaign, with old articles and tag pages returning 404. The deletions accompany Xbox leadership changes (Asha Sharma taking the helm; Phil Spencer’s retirement; Sarah Bond leading the campaign) even as Microsoft touts a multi-platform future for Xbox via Project Helix and broader PC/VR compatibility.
Microsoft has quietly scrapped its 'This is an Xbox' marketing campaign following a leadership reshuffle, with Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond exiting and Asha Sharma taking over, and a 404 page and empty Xbox tag page point to the campaign's demise as the company advances Project Helix for the next-gen Xbox.
Microsoft has quietly retired its 'This is an Xbox' marketing campaign, removing the original post from Xbox Wire amid leadership changes, and signaling a potential shift back toward a console-centric strategy with Project Helix while maintaining multiplatform ambitions.