# The next-gen Xbox won’t cost you $1,800. It can’t. Can it?

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-next-gen-xbox-wont-cost-you-1800-it-cant-can-it/
- Published: 2026-10-22T23:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-22T23:10:30+00:00
- Original publisher: The Verge
- Original article: https://www.theverge.com/games/1016134/xbox-helix-price-1800-isnt-affordable-editorial
- Topics: Software

## Key points

- Helix is reportedly projected to cost $1,200 to $1,800.
- Microsoft has signalled that past hardware subsidies cannot continue.
- Bundles or other payment models could soften the upfront price.

## Summary

A report puts Microsoft’s next Xbox, codenamed Helix, at $1,200 to $1,800 when it launches in 2028, prompting questions about whether mainstream buyers could afford it. The article argues the estimate may reflect the console’s underlying cost rather than the price customers would pay, while noting that Microsoft has acknowledged affordability will be a challenge.

The article outlines possible ways to spread or reduce the cost, including subsidies, long-term Game Pass bundles, trade-ins and alternative business models. Microsoft has historically sold consoles at a loss, but executives have said that level of subsidy is no longer sustainable after about $20 billion in investment over five years. A high price could also make Helix harder to sell if it supports PC games, since those buyers may use Steam rather than Microsoft’s store.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.