Next Xbox reportedly targets 2028 launch at US$1,200 to US$1,800
A separate Xbox handheld could arrive during the 2027 holiday season, while reported plans for Game Pass would let subscribers choose add-ons.
Microsoft is targeting the holiday season in 2028 for its next Xbox console, according to Fortune. The device, codenamed Helix, has an internal price projection of US$1,200 to US$1,800 unless Microsoft subsidizes the hardware, the outlet reported.
The reported pricing comes amid rising memory costs. TechSpot reported that demand from AI data centers has absorbed most manufacturing capacity for memory and storage, driving up component costs. The Xbox Series X launched in 2020 at US$500, and Microsoft has since increased its price several times.
Fortune also reported that an Xbox handheld could launch during the holiday season in 2027. Its reporting appeared in a profile of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who succeeded Phil Spencer earlier this year.
Sources told Fortune that Sharma plans to change Game Pass to an à la carte subscription model, allowing customers to select individual add-ons and online features. Sharma has previously expressed a desire to lower the service's cost, and Microsoft has partly rolled back earlier price increases.
