Microsoft shows the first dev kit of the new Xbox Project Helix console

The first images published from the developers conference reveal the development kit of the future platform.

More stories in the category Slider

• A Marathon developer asks Destiny 2 fans not to wish for the game’s failure
• 007 First Light confirms 60 FPS on Xbox Series X, but Series S will have a significant cut
• Forza Horizon 6 sweeps and already shatters the historical record of the saga

Microsoft’s presence at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) is revealing some exciting details about Project Helix, the next Xbox platform. During the event, the first images of the hardware already being used by some studios have surfaced, but it’s essential to note that this is not the final console, but rather the official dev kit for developers.

The photos were shared by the official Microsoft Game Dev account and show the Xbox Developer Kit (XDK) that will allow studios to start working on games for the next generation of Xbox.

Here’s a look at the Project Helix dev kit being used by studios

According to the published images, the Project Helix development kit features a design that’s quite familiar in the history of Xbox. The device has a shape that closely resembles the Xbox One, although with a light gray finish instead of the classic black of commercial consoles.

This type of hardware is intended solely for studios, so its appearance doesn’t represent the final design of the console that will hit the market. In fact, dev kits are usually functional devices designed to facilitate development and technical testing.

Things are starting to heat up

One of the details that has caught the most attention in the images is the presence of an optical drive, which could indicate that Microsoft’s next console won’t be exclusively digital, although there’s no official confirmation on the commercial model yet.

For now, no technical specifications of the hardware have been revealed, and it seems that Microsoft will continue to share information gradually as the launch of the new generation approaches. According to some industry estimates, the console based on Project Helix could hit the market by the end of 2027, although the company has not confirmed any release date yet.

Xbox at GDC Sneak peek #GDC2026 https://t.co/80amO5lbfh

— Microsoft Game Dev (@MSFTGameDev) March 11, 2026