Xbox Helix: Development kits will arrive at developers' homes in 2027

The objective is clear: to revitalize the brand and reduce the gap that currently separates it from Nintendo and Sony in the video game market. Jason Ronald, Vice President of the Xbox Division, explains: According to Jason Ronald, this future machine will be based on a custom chip designed by AMD and promises a major technological leap, particularly in Ray Tracing. Ronald even mentions a "significant jump in performance, thanks to the deep integration of artificial intelligence directly into the graphics and computing pipelines" (data streams processed in real time). Microsoft thus promises more realistic, more immersive, and more dynamic worlds.

Xbox Helix: Development kits to developers in 2027££££

Development kits for the next Xbox, codenamed Helix (see our news article Xbox Project Helix, it's official), will be shipped to developers starting in 2027, suggesting a potential release around 2028 or 2029, consistent with the usual Xbox console cycle. This announcement comes amidst an internal transition, marked by the departure of Phil Spencer, an emblematic figure of the gaming division, replaced by Asha Sharma, from the AI branch. In a message to the teams, Sharma stated her desire to reaffirm Microsoft's commitment to the Xbox ecosystem, beginning with a refocusing on console gaming.

Console Market: Microsoft Still Committed to the Next Generation; Since the release of the Xbox Series X and Series S in 2020, Microsoft's consoles have struggled to compete with Nintendo and Sony's sales. According to estimates reported by CNBC, the brand's machines lag significantly behind their direct competitors. With this new generation, Microsoft seems to want to regain the technological lead and reposition Xbox as a major player in video game hardware.