Microsoft revealed new details about its upcoming console at the GDC Festival of Gaming. At the 2026 Game Developers Conference, Microsoft’s VP of Next Generation, Jason Ronald, discussed the future of Xbox. The new Xbox, known as Project Helix, will feature a custom AMD chip with a significant boost in raytracing performance, including support for path tracing, and a new version of AMD’s FSR upscaling technology driven by machine learning and offering frame generation for the console. However, the release is not imminent, as alpha versions of Project Helix will be available to developers in 2027.
The announcement of Project Helix continuing from Microsoft’s earlier revelation that it will support both console and PC games, was made by new Xbox boss Asha Sharma. She succeeded Phil Spencer as Microsoft’s gaming CEO in February, following Spencer’s retirement. Former Xbox president Sarah Bond, once considered a successor to Spencer, also announced her exit. Last year, Bond indicated that the next-gen Xbox would resemble a PC, providing a high-end curated experience. In her initial memo, Sharma pledged a renewed emphasis on Xbox consoles, asserting that Project Helix would excel in performance. Additionally, Sharma shared a photo of the original Xbox prototype at the GDC Festival of Gaming, which Microsoft is exhibiting.