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Xbox CEO calls Project Helix a ‘family of devices’

2026-08-28T18:39:11-04:00

Asha Sharma. | Image: The Verge, Microsoft

According to Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, Project Helix, which she announced in March as a codename for Microsoft's "next generation console" - phrasing that seemingly implied a singular device - will actually be a "family" of devices."

"We've been hard at work on a great next generation and a great family of devices for Helix, and we'll share more soon," Sharma told BBC News. She shared the answer after being asked if Helix will be a discless console. She didn't answer that, but this week Microsoft announced a program for digitizing your physical games.

In 2025, Microsoft and AMD announced a "strategic multi-year partnership" to work together on …

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Xbox announces disc-to-digital feature that digitizes your physical games

2026-08-26T10:31:10-04:00

Microsoft is officially announcing a new Xbox feature that will allow Xbox owners to digitize their existing physical game collections. The disc-to-digital feature, which The Verge exclusively revealed last month, is part of work that Microsoft is doing for game preservation and in preparation for the next generation of Xbox consoles.

"Most Xbox One and Xbox Series X disc-based games support this new feature," explains Jason Ronald, VP of next generation at Xbox. "Players can claim a digital entitlement by inserting a supported disc into an Xbox One or Xbox Series X console and launching the game." This digital entitlement is tied to the sp …

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Microsoft’s 25th anniversary Xbox will cost $899

2026-08-26T10:21:49-04:00

The special-edition translucent green Xbox finally has an official price. Preorders for the console start August 27th at 10AM ET / 7AM PT, although Microsoft says "some of XBOX's most dedicated fans" will receive early access preorder emails starting today.

The console will launch on November 13th, alongside a matching controller with the same "OG Green" colorway from the original translucent green Xbox. Microsoft is also including a full-game download of Halo: Campaign Evolved with each of the consoles, and revealed during Gamescom on Wednesday that each console will be laser-etched and numbered. Under the special-edition shell, it's an X …

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Ikea’s Xbox collection includes a giant thumbstick stool

2026-08-26T07:06:50-04:00

Some pieces in the Yxstaby collection are more obviously Xbox-inspired than others. | Image: Ikea

Ikea has teamed up with Microsoft to launch a new assortment of gaming-inspired furniture and home accessories, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the first Xbox console. The nine-piece Yxstaby collection (good luck pronouncing that) includes a TV stand, laptop stand, side table, lounge chair, and multi-functional toolbox, with standout products like a stool, cushion, decorative platter, and mirrored display box being specifically designed around recognizable Xbox controller motifs.

The Yxstaby range makes it easier to "bring play into a room and tuck everything away afterwards," according to Ikea's press release, with each piece creat …

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Take a look at Microsoft’s new 25th anniversary Halo accessories

2026-08-25T14:16:29-04:00

The new Designed for Xbox 25th Anniversary collection features a handful of limited edition gadgets available for pre-order today. Paying homage to the Halo special edition of the original Xbox, almost everything in the collection is translucent "OG Green," matching the Xbox Series X25 limited edition console it announced in June at E3. That includes 25th anniversary versions of the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K mouse, Razer BlackWidow V4 75% gaming keyboard, and Razer Hammerhead V3 X HyperSpeed earbuds.

There's also a translucent green 8BitDo Ultimate charging dock for Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One controllers, along with …

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Xbox Elite 3 prototype pad leaks with tiny built-in screen

2026-08-11T18:36:35-04:00

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Did a prototype Microsoft gamepad fall off the back of a truck? We can't say, but a Redditor has legit-looking photos of a prototype Xbox controller that's almost certainly the Xbox Elite Series 3. Incredibly, they claim they bought the pad for $200 on OfferUp.

In May, a Brazilian regulator's leaked images revealed that Xbox Elite 3 would have new two new scroll wheels on the bottom edge, a second wireless mode to connect directly to Xbox Cloud Gaming servers, and a new "Pair Button" that can also switch between those servers and your console.

Where might that pair button live? Today, we have a possible answer: it might sit right next to t …

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The next Xbox could play every Xbox game ever made

2026-08-04T12:25:45-04:00

The next Xbox, Project Helix, could theoretically have the largest library of any home console. Not only will it play PC games, but we now know, courtesy of a leaked memo obtained by The Verge's Tom Warren, that it will run games from every generation of Xbox: the original 2001 Xbox, the 2005 Xbox 360, the 2013 Xbox One, and the 2020 Xbox Series, as well as any new Helix titles.

We already knew that Microsoft was bringing a limited sample of original Xbox games to PC, and we already knew it was prepping a way to digitize your Xbox One and Xbox Series discs. The leak fills in the missing puzzle pieces.

Microsoft is bringing Xbox 360 games …

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Microsoft is bringing Xbox 360 games to PC

2026-08-03T17:51:07-04:00

Building on its recently announced plans to bring original Xbox games to PC, Microsoft is also planning to let developers bring their Xbox 360 games to PC as well, according to a leaked document, seen by The Verge, that was sent to developers recently. Xbox 360 games will be able to run on the next-gen Project Helix console, "Xbox PCs," and handheld devices, the document says.

Microsoft has already said that Helix will play PC games, so making these older Xbox titles available on PC helps build a broader Xbox library that can travel between devices, similar to what's already possible with Steam. Creating all these digital licenses also help …

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Xbox prices are increasing by up to €200 or £170

2026-08-02T12:18:38-04:00

When Microsoft announced its latest round of Xbox price bumps in June, it only gave US pricing. Now we know the pricing increases for the EU and UK, and they're dramatic. Depending on the model, Xbox prices are increasing by up to €200 or £170. The 1TB Xbox Series X with a disc drive is going up by over 30 percent from £499.99 / €599.99 to £669.99 / €799.99. The 512GB Xbox Series S is getting a price increase of over 43 percent, jumping from £299.99 / €349.99 to £429.99 / €499.99.

While other consoles have received price bumps as RAM and storage prices skyrocket due to demand from the AI industry, none have been quite as dramatic as Microso …

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Xbox CEO lays out priorities in memo after major ‘reset’

2026-07-31T05:28:15-04:00

Asha Sharma. | Image: The Verge, Microsoft

After a massive Xbox "reset" that laid off thousands of employees and spun off four studios, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma wants to get Xbox back to growth. In a memo obtained by The Verge, Sharma told staff by the end of fiscal year 2027 (which runs through next June), "we will return XBOX to player and revenue growth." Xbox will also "improve profits back in line with industry averages," Sharma said. "Every function and studio will own part of that outcome."

Since taking over Xbox in February, Sharma has made sweeping changes to attempt to turn things around. Previously, she has cited challenges like a low accountability margin, increasing compone …

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