Microsoft may be preparing to rethink what an Xbox console actually looks like. Rather than building a single successor to the Xbox Series X|S, the company appears to be developing a broader range of hardware under the Project Helix name.
The revelation came from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma in an interview with BBC News at Gamescom 2026. Sharma described Helix as a “great family of devices”, suggesting Microsoft’s next-generation hardware plans extend beyond one traditional living-room console.
Microsoft has previously confirmed that Project Helix is the codename for its next-generation Xbox platform, but Sharma’s latest comments provide the clearest indication yet that the project could involve multiple devices. The company has not disclosed what those products will be or how they will differ.
Microsoft appears to be building an Xbox family
Sharma did not reveal specific hardware during the interview, but she said Xbox has been working on a “great family of devices” for Helix and promised that the company would share more details soon. She also reiterated that Xbox intends to “continue to push the boundaries of performance.”
That leaves plenty of room for speculation. A traditional high-end console could sit alongside a cheaper machine, handheld or another form factor, although Microsoft has not confirmed any of those possibilities.
The timing is particularly interesting because the console market is already moving away from the idea that every generation needs to revolve around one fixed box under the TV. Microsoft’s strategy increasingly connects consoles, PCs, cloud gaming and portable devices, making a broader hardware family a logical extension of that approach. But there is one question hanging over all of this: will the next Xbox still have a disc drive?
The next Xbox may not follow Sony’s digital-only path
Sharma’s comments came in response to a question about whether the next Xbox would be a disc-less console. She did not directly answer that question, according to The Verge, leaving the issue unresolved.
That is becoming an increasingly important question as Sony moves toward a fully digital PlayStation strategy. It was also recently reported that Sony plans to stop producing disc-based games for PlayStation by 2028.
For Xbox owners, the consequences could be significant. A shift toward digital-only hardware could make physical game collections less useful, while multiple devices could give players more flexibility over how and where they play.
Microsoft says developers should begin receiving early versions of Helix hardware next year. That means the company is moving beyond broad promises and toward actual development hardware.
For now, however, Xbox is keeping the most important details under wraps. We know Project Helix is a family, not simply a device. What Microsoft puts inside that family – and whether one of those products still has a place for your game discs – should become clearer as the company prepares to reveal more.
