Microsoft confirms next-gen Xbox will play PC games — 'Project Helix' teased as more than just a console

Microsoft has confirmed that its next generation Xbox — codenamed Project Helix — will be capable of playing both Xbox and PC games. New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma took to X to tease the next-gen console, saying it "will lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games."

Microsoft has continued to welcome PC gamers over the past several years, attempting to unify the experience across console and Windows. We've seen a greater focus on the Xbox App for Windows, broad publishing initiatives on third-party platforms like Steam, and hardware collaborations like the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X. It's been rumored that Microsoft's next-gen console would be able to play PC games, but this is the first time we've gotten confirmation.

Sharma says she'll be talking with partners and studios about Project Helix (and presumably its ability to play PC games) at GDC, which kicks off in San Francisco next week. The tease sets Microsoft up for a proper Project Helix reveal soon. Last month, AMD confirmed that it was working with Microsoft on a semi-custom SoC for Project Helix, and said it would be ready to support a launch in 2027.

Although Microsoft has confirmed Project Helix will be capable of playing PC games, there are still questions about how that will look. Microsoft sells PC games not only through Steam, but also through the Microsoft Store. Many titles even come with Microsoft's Play Anywhere feature, which allows you to carry your progress across PC and console. Critically, these features are only available through the Xbox app on PC; Steam versions don't support the same features.

Project Helix may not be able to play all of your PC games, but Microsoft confirms it's at least capable of doing so. Given the underlying hardware — a semi-custom x86 SoC from AMD — there's little reason why Project Helix would be able to play PC games from one storefront but not another. For now, all we can do is wait until Microsoft has more to share on that front.

Sharma recently assumed the role of Xbox CEO, taking over for Phil Spencer who has stood as a cult of personality for Xbox over decades of representing the brand. In addition to Spencer's retirement, Xbox President Sarah Bond was replaced by long-standing Microsoft executive Matt Booty.

In taking over the role, Sharma laid out a simple goal in open letters published by Microsoft: "Understand what makes this work and protect it." Despite serving as President of Microsoft's CoreAI division from 2024, Sharma said, "We will not chase short-term efficiency or flood our ecosystem with soulless AI slop. Games are and always will be art, crafted by humans, and created with the most innovative technology provided by us."

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