Xbox boss says Project Helix will be a family of devices led by a console

Xbox will not bet its next generation on a single box. Chief executive Asha Sharma told staff that Project Helix, the codename for its tenth-generation plans, will arrive as a family of devices led by a strong traditional console.

Sharma gave the update at an internal town hall with Xbox employees on Tuesday. She said there is not one device that fits all for what the company calls Gen 10, and that many players will be on the go. Xbox will manufacture some of the devices itself and build others with partners, and she added that the operating system, the core software that runs the machines, is starting to look really good, according to Video Games Chronicle.

The comments build on what Sharma told the BBC in August, when she said Xbox was hard at work on a great next generation and a great family of devices for Helix. That interview took place at Gamescom 2026. In an article published on 23 April 2026, Xbox had said Helix would lead on performance and play both console and PC games. Alpha versions of the hardware, early test kits sent to game makers, are expected to reach developers in 2027.

The same town hall also covered Xbox's wider business reset. Sharma reportedly told staff that Xbox's first-party games business, games made by studios it owns, had hit an all-time low at the start of the year and has now started to return to growth, according to Video Games Chronicle. She reportedly said that business is now more than two to three times what it was, after declines in hours spent playing, player numbers and revenue.

Much of that decline was linked to Game Pass, the subscription service that offers a library of games for a monthly fee. Sharma reportedly said the previous Game Pass strategy had sent Xbox into freefall declines. She told Bloomberg that Xbox was able to reset the service after an eight-month decline and that it has now returned to growth, as reported on 6 October 2026. She suggested Game Pass could become more flexible for more players in future.

For recent signs of recovery, Sharma pointed to strong starts for Gears of War: E-Day, Minecraft Dungeons 2 and World of Warcraft Forever. She reportedly said hours spent playing has stabilised, and claimed a 30% increase in positive brand sentiment in the past year. Sharma has previously told staff that Xbox aims to return to player and revenue growth by the end of fiscal year 2027.

What makes this stand out is the shape of the plan. One console for the living room, other devices for other habits, and partners helping to build them. For players, this means choice rather than a single upgrade path, with PC games in the mix from the start.