The Latest News on the Next Xbox Console

The Game Developers Conference (GDC) took place last week, and Microsoft offered some insight on their next console. Find out the details below. Also, games research firm Newzoo published their 2025 report, which contained some interesting data. All this and more. Let’s go!

More details on Project Helix

At GDC, Microsoft gave developers and fans more news about their next generation of Xbox consoles, codenamed Project Helix. 

Speaking at the conference, Xbox Vice President of Next Generation Jason Ronald provided some details on the upcoming system, saying it would be powered by a custom AMD processor and provide “next-gen ray-tracing performance.”

It delivers an order of magnitude leap in ray tracing performance and capability, integrates intelligence directly into the graphics and compute pipeline, and drives meaningful gains in efficiency, scale, and visual ambition. The result is more realistic, immersive, and dynamic worlds for players.

For those anxious to get their hands on the new system, Ronald said alpha versions of the hardware would go out to developers in 2027. This likely means consumer versions won’t be available until 2028, although a late 2027 launch might still be possible. 

In other Xbox news, Microsoft announced they are releasing an Xbox Mode for Windows 11 PCs in April of this year. The update will be a full screen “dedicated gaming experience” that lets players “browse their library, launch games, use Game Bar and switch between apps.” Microsoft also says their Copilot AI assistant is coming to current-gen Xbox consoles later this year. However, don’t expect to see the “This is an Xbox” ads moving forward, as Microsoft quietly retired the campaign.

New data on gaming

Data firm Newzoo published their 2026 PC and Console Gaming Report. The report offers some interesting statistics about games and the people who play them. Here are a few of the highlights:

• 2025 was the first year of notable revenue growth in the industry since the pandemic, increasing 7% year-over-year.
• On its current path, PC gaming revenue is projected to pass console revenue by the end of 2028.
• Games ranging in price from $30-50 are the fastest growing tier on all platforms. 
• Roblox and Minecraft players are less likely to play traditional AAA video games.
• Fortnite, Roblox, Minecraft and Call of Duty remain the top played games across all platforms.

Side Quests (more stories worth reading)

🫰🏼 Billion-dollar company Epic says it is raising the price of Fortnite V-Bucks “to help pay the bills.”

🏆 Clair Obscur won big at the Game Developers Choice Awards.

🏆 The Independent Games Festival Awards also took place last week. Check out all the winners. 

🖥️ One executive says Sony might be pausing new games from releasing on PC because it is afraid of another console maker - Valve. 

🧱 A Lego recreation of the original Sony PlayStation is reportedly coming later this year. 

⛔ Any game that contains loot boxes will be rated at least PEGI 16 in Europe starting this summer. 

🐢 Nintendo showed off a new trailer for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book and announced it will release on May 21.

👎🏾 Just months after the record-breaking launch of Battlefield 6, EA laid off an undisclosed number of developers who worked on the game. 

🐉 The creator of Dragon Age says he had to take out half of the quests in Dragon Age 2, as they were only given 16 months to make the game. 

⚖️ In their suit with the state of New York, Valve compares in-game loot boxes to baseball cards and Labubus. 

🎮 Gamemaker American McGee says he is working on a spiritual successor to his Alice series that will somehow connect to its storyline.

🎞️ After being originally announced over 10 years ago, a new game featuring movie characters Jay and Silent Bob will release next month. 

📈 Round numbers: Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater sold over 2 million copies, Resident Evil Requiem sold over 6 million copies, Slay the Spire 2 sold over 3 million copies in one week and Pokémon Pokopia sold 2.2 million copies in four days.

New Releases this week:

Check out our article on 14 new games to play in March.

3/16: Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and PC)
3/17: MLB The Show 26 (PlayStation, Xbox and Switch)
3/19: Crimson Desert (PlayStation, Xbox and PC)

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