The next Xbox console is being worked on now, but we don’t know much about it. We know that it’s being worked on under the codename “Project Helix,” but Microsoft has not provided any other official information. Everything else has been speculative or leaked. But one such revelation, coming from a reliable leak, could position Project Helix as the go-to console of its generation.
Next Xbox Could Revolutionize Backwards Compatibility
Right now, there’s a wide array of games available on Xbox Series X|S consoles. It’s the platform you can play Halo Campaign Evolved and the original Fable, spanning decades of gaming. It’s pretty impressive, but the next console is poised to up the ante by a wide margin.
Dexerto has revealed that a leaked memo indicates that Project Helix will be totally backwards compatible. Instead of just a few generations, gamers will have access to the entire five-console run of Xbox. A game on the original Xbox will be playable alongside new console-specific titles.
Project Helix will have to compete with the PlayStation 6 and the Nintendo Switch 2, primarily. By adding the entire catalog of games dating back to the original, Microsoft has given its next console a real leg up. There’s nothing on PlayStation potentially doing the same, so the backwards compatibility will give Xbox the edge there.
Nintendo has plenty of old games. In fact, almost all of their consoles have virtual versions on Nintendo Switch Online. Not all consoles and not all games are available, but it’s a huge bonus for having the Switch 2. This puts the Project Helix on level ground there, but the processing power will presumably be much higher, giving it another leg up.
Now, there is one major caveat with the new console. PlayStation recently revealed that it would cease all production of physical discs, and shortly after, it was leaked that Xbox’s next console wouldn’t even have a disc drive. Right now, you can buy digital-only Series X|S platforms, but in the future, that will reportedly not be an option.
What if you have physical games? Well, you can digitize them with a new feature. This is, unfortunately, just done to further put an end to physical media, but it is an option if you have a physical game you’d like to be able to play on the Project Helix.
Additionally, the memo was clear on one thing. It’s not entirely up to Microsoft. They would like publishers to bring their old games to the platform. Xbox doesn’t have a backlog of exclusives like Nintendo or even PlayStation, so getting old games back will not be as straightforward as it seems.
Fortunately, publishers won’t have to do all of the heavy lifting. According to the memo, the company said, “For both programs, Xbox manages all engineering, certification, and support efforts. You, the publisher, keeps fully control over rights, pricing, and brand.” It is designed to be an enticing deal for publishers.
Microsoft also hopes that the console will run games better, so a 2001 game from the original Xbox won’t be terribly clunky. It’s unclear how they go about this, but console power is jumping all the time, and they may well be able to improve the quality of games without remastering or remaking them. It could revolutionize gaming as we know it.
This change would totally put the console back at the top. Xbox has been lagging behind PlayStation and Nintendo for various reasons for a while now. If they’re able to pull it off, which is a big if since they need publishers to agree, then they’d be right back at the top next to their competitors.
