Xbox Helix console price could hit $1,800, report claims

Xbox fans may want to start saving for the next console

A report in Fortune, published as part of a profile of Xbox chief Asha Sharma, has revealed that Microsoft is reportedly weighing prices of $1,200 to $1,800 for its next-generation hardware.

That would put Project Helix, the system’s codename, well above the launch price of the Xbox Series X. 

Microsoft introduced that console at $500, but its price has since climbed to $800. 

The Series S has also become considerably more expensive, rising from $300 to $500.

Even if Microsoft settles on the lowest figure currently being discussed, Helix would cost 50% more than the Series X did when it first went on sale.

The AI boom is driving up chip costs for the next generation of consoles

The potential price tag comes after a difficult period for console buyers. Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo have all increased prices for their existing hardware multiple times since their respective launches. 

All three companies have also said customers will not receive the benefit of tariff refunds.

Microsoft appears to be planning a broader range of products for its next generation, too. 

Sharma has described Helix as “a family of devices”, with reports pointing to a conventional home console alongside a handheld model.  The portable version could reach consumers first, potentially in 2027.

There are still questions over how that handheld will work. Reports suggest the Xbox and Windows divisions have disagreed about which operating system should power it, with tensions allegedly escalating to the point that an Xbox executive threatened to cancel the project.

Hardware costs could present another obstacle. Demand for memory and storage chips has surged alongside the expansion of AI, contributing to a global shortage that has pushed up prices across the electronics market this year.