Xbox Project Helix Is a Family of Devices, CEO Sharma Confirms

In an interview with the BBC, Xbox division CEO Asha Sharma had a lot to say about the current state of gaming hardware, and let slip that Project Helix is not a single console.

Specifically, when the BBC reporter asked Sharma if Project Helix would be a diskless console, Sharma replied, "So we're not sharing more on Helix." She laughs, then continues, "I know you had to ask it, but look. We've been hard at work on a great next generation and a great family of devices for Helix, and we'll share more soon."

This suggests that like with the Xbox Series S/X and to a lesser extent the Xbox One and One X, Microsoft will start another console generation with multiple entry points. As critical of theXbox Series S's horsepower as people have been this console generation, the rapidly-skyrocketing prices of console and PC hardware across-the-board suddenly make an "entry-level next-gen" console a welcome solution. It could also mean that Project Helix may integrate more with the PC side than we expect, i.e. with Xbox Ally PC handhelds.

Asha Sharma was slim on the hard details regarding Project Helix and the devices we can expect, but the context of the rest of the interview does paint a promising picture of where Microsoft is taking its Xbox business in the coming generation, with a heavy focus on "hardware efficiency and affordability."


While the BBC's coverage was focused on the novelty of the Xbox disc-to-digital program, Sharma's statements also indicate the possibility of a Project Helix console launching with a disc drive. Sharma emphasizes that "I know that players love [both physical and digital] media and I want to make sure people have a choice in that."

Judging by the ongoing outcry against Sony killing off discs for the PlayStation 5, the next Xbox could earn some new customers just by keeping physical media relevant. If Microsoft plays its cards right, Project Helix could wind up giving us at least one forward-thinking, consumer-friendly gaming console.