This is a summary of my Xbox Developer Summit keynote address, delivered March 11 at the 2026 Game Developer Conference<\/p>\n
SummaryOur team is deep in development on our next generation Xbox console, Project Helix. We are pushing the boundaries of rendering and simulation in partnership with AMD, using FSR Next to power what comes next.\u00a0\u00a0Starting in April, Xbox mode will begin rolling out to Windows in select markets. It brings a familiar Xbox experience to players while keeping the flexibility and openness\u00a0of\u00a0Windows.\u00a0For developers, the Xbox Play Anywhere catalog now spans more than 1,500 games, creating a powerful opportunity to reach players seamlessly across console and Windows.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The characters, worlds, and stories from developers from across the world have shaped every stage of Xbox\u2019s evolution, what\u2019s possible and where we go next. As we celebrate 25 years of Xbox this year, I want to give a special thank you to the developers, past and present, who have helped define Xbox\u2019s legacy, including the more than 5,000 developers around the world currently building for Xbox.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re continuing to push innovation for our next 25 years with our team hard at work on our next-generation first-party console: Project Helix is designed to play your Xbox console and PC games, delivering leading performance and ushering in the next generation of console gaming.<\/p>\n
As part of our multi-year partnership with AMD, we are shaping the future of rendering and simulation. Project Helix is powered by a custom AMD SoC and co-designed for the next generation of DirectX and FSR to unlock what comes next.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m excited to share we plan to ship alpha versions of the hardware to developers beginning in 2027.<\/p>\n
And, we\u2019re committed to keeping games from four generations of Xbox playable for years to come. As part of our 25th anniversary later this year, we\u2019ll be rolling out new ways to play some of the most iconic games from our past.<\/p>\n
As games increasingly span devices, we\u2019re breaking down the barriers between console and PC games for more seamless cross-device play, and we\u2019re making the Xbox experience consistent across screens. This also gives developers a simpler, more unified path to reach more players while helping reduce development costs.<\/p>\n