by 
More details have been shared today about what to expect from Xbox's hardware plans over the next couple of years, with Fortune reporting that a next-gen handheld is set for 2027 along with the Project Helix console in 2028.
In terms of the handheld, the outlet simply describes it as a "next-generation handheld device" that will arrive "by the 2027 holiday season", although it's also mentioned that there have been internal clashes at Microsoft over which software it should run.
"Windows leaders wanted an upcoming handheld device to use a trimmed-down version of Windows Home. Sharma’s team, meanwhile, has sought to build and control its own software to get the best gaming performance."
A senior Xbox executive apparently even threatened to scrap the project entirely due to these tensions, but Xbox is now "largely controlling the direction" of the operating system. That said, Asha Sharma emphasised to the outlet that they're still collaborating closely with the Windows team and need their support to build Project Helix.
Sharma emphasized the two still collaborate closely, saying, “We can’t build Helix on our own.”
Of course, Xbox has already kind of released a handheld over the past two years in the form of the ROG Xbox Ally, Ally X and Ally X20, but it sounds like this will be a first-party device rather than one created by the team at ASUS.
Meanwhile, the next-gen Helix console is reportedly now slated for 2028, but the potential price is an eye-watering one - it's said that it could cost anything up to $1,800 unless Microsoft decides to subsidise it.
"As it stands, the price of the Helix console has internally been projected to cost consumers between $1,200 and $1,800, unless Microsoft decides to subsidize the cost."
Of course, we shouldn't forget that Asha Sharma was quoted as teasing multiple hardware devices for the next generation of Xbox just a few weeks ago. In a statement to employees, she apparently told them that Xbox will develop some things internally and partner with external companies on others, so who knows whether any more affordable options are being primed to sit alongside the main Project Helix console when it releases in 2028.
There are still a lot of unknowns as things stand, and the ongoing component crisis will undoubtedly have a major impact on what kind of price tag is attached to all of Xbox's hardware over the next couple of years.
As always, it's worth taking rumours and reports with a pinch of salt, and also keeping in mind that things can quickly change in the world of gaming. For now though, these are supposedly the plans as things stand!