Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox could arrive in late 2028, and it may carry a price tag well above today’s consoles. A new report claims the company is targeting a holiday 2028 launch for the console, codenamed Project Helix, with an internal cost estimate of USD 1,200 to USD 1,800.
The report, cited by multiple gaming outlets, does not confirm a final retail price. It suggests Microsoft may need to subsidize the hardware if it wants to keep the console closer to USD 1,000. Even at that level, the next Xbox would cost twice as much as the Xbox Series X did at launch in 2020.
A Major Pricing Shift
The projected price range marks a sharp break from traditional console economics. Microsoft launched the Xbox Series X at USD 499 and the Series S at USD 299, positioning the lineup as accessible alternatives to gaming PCs.
Project Helix could change that approach. At USD 1,200 to USD 1,800, the console would compete directly with mid-range and high-end gaming PCs rather than with mainstream consoles. The report attributes the higher cost to rising prices for memory and storage components, driven partly by demand from AI data centers.
Industry analysts have warned for months that DRAM and NAND prices could push up the cost of future hardware. If those pressures continue, console makers may face difficult choices between thinner margins, higher prices, or reduced specifications.
Future Strategies
The report also says Microsoft plans to release a next-generation Xbox handheld during the 2027 holiday season, a year before the full console. That device could serve as an early test of the company’s next hardware and software direction.
Microsoft did not officially announce either product. Until Microsoft makes an official announcement, the 2028 launch window and 1,200–1,800 price range remain reports—not confirmed plans.
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