What an $1,800 Xbox Would Mean for Your Wallet
If the report holds true, console gaming could become a much pricier hobby, with premium hardware aimed at wealthier households and a handheld arriving first to bridge the gap.
If the report holds true, console gaming could become a much pricier hobby, with premium hardware aimed at wealthier households and a handheld arriving first to bridge the gap.
Key points - Project Helix console could cost between $1,200 and $1,800 unless Microsoft subsidizes it. - The next-gen Xbox console could launch in 2028, per the report. - An Xbox next-generation handheld device might arrive by the end of 2027. - AI-fueled memory and component shortages are cited as a factor driving up costs. - About 2,000 Xbox layoffs have happened so far, with more reportedly coming.
Timeline - 2020: Xbox Series X and S launch; Phil Spencer says Microsoft lost up to $200 per console. - February this year: Asha Sharma takes over as Xbox CEO and declares Xbox is in an unhealthy place. - End of 2027: Next-generation Xbox handheld device could release, per the report. - 2028: Project Helix console could launch, according to the report.
FAQ
Q: How much could the next Xbox cost? A: The Fortune report says Project Helix could cost between $1,200 and $1,800, unless Microsoft chooses to subsidize the console's cost.
Q: When might the next Xbox launch? A: The report points to a possible 2028 launch for the Project Helix console, with a next-gen Xbox handheld possibly arriving by the end of 2027.
Q: Why could the next Xbox be so expensive? A: The report cites ongoing AI-fueled memory and component shortages, an environment partly driven by Microsoft's own AI build-out efforts.
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