Earlier this week, Microsoft’s new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced “Project Helix,” the official codename for the publishers next Xbox console. As per our previous reporting, we know that the system will essentially be a Windows gaming PC running a variant of the Xbox Ally’s Xbox Full Screen Experience, complete with support for PC stores like Steam, the Epic Games Store, and others, and in theory, other Windows apps too.
With Project Helix, Microsoft is blurring the line between the console and PC platforms — a move that lines up with the firm’s focus on delivering lots of multiplatform value in recent years with things like expansions to Xbox Game Pass, the continued development of Xbox Cloud Gaming and Xbox Play Anywhere programs, and even numerous ports of Xbox games to PS5.
Windows Central readers react to Project Helix
Reactions to Project Helix and what we know of its hybrid console-PC design generally seem positive, with most seeing valid potential in a device that aims to offer the best of two different wings of the gaming market in one streamlined package.
This comment highlights that with traditional console engagement stagnating, there’s a lot of potential in making PC gaming more approachable with a console-style system — a sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with.
With that said, many have also pointed out that pricing will be a huge factor here, and is something to worry about with the ongoing RAM shortage crisis caused by the AI boom that’s taken over the tech industry in the last year or so. Many experts suggest that the price surge has only just begun, suggesting it will be a long time before the market recovers.
The shortage has begun to drive up the prices of nearly every consumer electronic device out there, ranging from smartphones and laptops to smart home appliances. Upcoming gaming systems like the Steam Machine are affected, too, so Project Helix undoubtedly will be as well.
$1,000 seems to be the price point many consider realistic given the ambitious planned capabilities of Project Helix and the volatile nature of the market right now; anything more, and the new Xbox would likely be deemed too prohibitively expensive.
Others have commented that they’re ultimately unsure of how to feel for now, as we’re lacking a lot of details on things like different SKUs, the functionality of Xbox’s beloved backwards compatibility, and more. Other SKUs could, for example, deliver more of a traditional console experience without the PC features for a lower price, giving players options as Microsoft did by releasing the Xbox Series S alongside the flagship Xbox Series X.
Another noteworthy consideration is exclusive games; Microsoft has moved away from exclusive Xbox games in recent years, but new comments from Asha Sharma suggest there’s potential for them to come back. Soon after, Windows Central managing editor Jez Corden polled over 14,000 Xbox users about exclusivity, and the results are pretty telling:
43% of users believe most or all Xbox first-party games should be exclusive, and only 12.4% think none of them should be. Ultimately, it’s clear that Xbox fans believe at least some form of exclusivity is needed for people to choose it over its competitors, and that sentiment is echoed by commenters that argue a hybrid Xbox-PC won’t sway folks away from actual PCs without exclusives on offer.
Even without exclusives, I do think many would be interested in a hybrid console-PC experience that (I assume) would cost less than a comparable PC and be simpler to set up and play, even if that meant some limitations on things like modding. Regardless, though, it’s a good point to consider as we await more information on Project Helix.
🗨️ Over to you!
How do you feel about Project Helix and the future of Xbox? Do you like the idea of a system that blurs the line between console and PC, or do you wish Microsoft was making a more traditional Xbox instead? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
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