Xbox Expands Project Helix With Cross-Studio Support

Xbox says its next-generation console, Project Helix, is being developed through an integrated process that brings hardware engineers and internal game studios together early in production. The update came from Xbox Chief Content Officer (CCO), Matt Booty, during the Official Xbox Podcast, released on April 16.

It expanded on the Project Helix details first shared at the 2026 Game Developer Conference (GDC).

Booty said Xbox’s publishing and development teams work “side-by-side in the same organization with the hardware team,” allowing studios to help shape planning, vision, and specifications before launch. He added that first-party teams will be the first to work with the new hardware, with parts of that process already underway.

Project Helix Console Strategy Links Hardware and Content Teams

The comments point to a console roadmap built around Xbox’s growing first-party network. Microsoft now oversees 30 internal studios across Bethesda Softworks, Xbox Game Studios, and Activision Blizzard.

Booty stated that Xbox has followed similar coordination on previous hardware cycles, but its structure gives the company a distinct advantage because platform and game teams operate within one organization. “Those two teams will work hand-in-hand,” he said.

At GDC in March 2026, Xbox VP of Next Generation, Jason Ronald, noted that Project Helix is designed to run Xbox console and PC games while delivering “leading performance” and a player-first experience. He also added that the system uses a custom AMD SoC and is co-designed for next-generation DirectX and FSR technologies.

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Booty also outlined broader cooperation across Xbox-owned studios. Blizzard’s cinematics team is assisting Playground Games on the upcoming Fable reboot. Rare is also helping Double Fine on Kiln, its upcoming pottery-themed multiplayer title.

He described Xbox’s internal structure as a “culture of cultures,” where studios retain their own identities while sharing tools and specialist support. Other examples included the Coalition assisting inXile with Unreal Engine expertise, and technology is moving between Undead Labs and Obsidian projects.

Meanwhile, Ronald also indicated that alpha versions of Project Helix hardware are planned for developers beginning in 2027.

The approach suggests Xbox wants its next console shaped not only by engineering goals but also by the teams building the games expected to define the platform.