xbox project helix — Image courtesy Xbox

Upcoming ‘Project Helix’ Xbox Will “Play Xbox and PC Games,” But PC VR Support is Unconfirmed

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Mar 5, 2026

Microsoft today announced the codename of its next Xbox gaming console: Project Helix. Details are very light, but the company says Project Helix will “play your Xbox and PC games.” Naturally that’s got us curious about whether or not PC VR games could be in the mix, but there’s no word yet.

Xbox’s newly minted CEO Asha Sharma today teased the company’s next-gen Xbox. She confirmed the device is codenamed ‘Project Helix’.

“Project Helix will lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games. Looking forward to chatting about this more with partners and studios at my first GDC next week!” she said on X.

Aside from this brief tease, it seems there’s no other official info being revealed, though we’ve reached out to the company for comment. The line about the company seeking to chat with “partners and studios” suggests this is the first time Project Helix is even being mentioned outside of internal conversations. Rumors suggest the console will launch in 2027.

So we have essentially no details yet on what the company means when it says Project Helix will be able to ‘play PC games’. But the possibility at least exists that this could open the door to compatibility with PC VR games too.

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Granted, PC VR lives almost exclusively within the Steam ecosystem thanks to Valve’s ongoing support for the SteamVR platform. And while it’s technically possible that VR games could run on Project Helix without Steam (thanks to OpenXR), VR on Project Helix would be largely a non-starter if the console can’t somehow access the Steam library, because that’s the only active marketplace for the distribution of PC VR content.

If Project Helix can be ‘fully unlocked’ and operate like any normal Windows PC, there’s no reason to think that Steam and SteamVR content wouldn’t be able to run on the console. But if Microsoft plans to keep the system’s PC support locked down in some way, then practical support for PC VR content is unlikely without the company’s express interest in allowing it.

Microsoft has a storied history when it comes to VR. Not only did the company make a significant attempt at entering the market with its Windows Mixed Reality platform (only to abandon that project after several years), but back in 2016 the company officially said that its upcoming Xbox One X would include support for “high fidelity VR” gaming. By the time the console actually reached the market in 2017, those plans had been scrapped.

While we don’t expect an about-face on VR support from Xbox itself, it will be interesting to see if Project Helix retains full PC capabilities, and thus the ability to run PC VR content.

PerpetuallySkeptical

Well it's Microsoft so I'm assuming they will market the product as being VR compatible and then walk that back at the last minute just like they did with the Xbox One X.
- Andrew Jakobs
  
  They never claimed it would be VR compatible, they only said they would consider it.
  - ApocalypseShadow
    
    He's right and you're lying. Phil said it himself and the company developers pitching Xbox One X(formally Project Scorpio ) during E3 that year. That it would support high fidelity VR as standard not an exception. Only to walk it back just like skeptical has said above.
    
    Research takes less than 5 minutes.
ApocalypseShadow

Unless they surprise gamers with something innovative and fresh, there's no point in buying the system which sounds like it'll just be a PC with their name on it. If you already have a PC, Xbox games will be on it. Might as well not waste your money and just buy a PS6. PS6 will play PS5 games guaranteed. And that means PS VR 2 and its games will play on it. So, if you have a PS VR 2, you get more power for future console VR games and BC with PS5 as Mark Cerny said going forward that once BC was built in, it's in as they are no longer using the Cell processor.

Another thing about PS VR 2 is that it's now compatible with PC. Besides a refresh like wireless, headset owners can use the current wired one for PC VR games. It's already forward compatible. Eye tracking, HDR, headset haptics, innovative controllers with modern haptics, high resolution, etc. It's ready for both console and PC needs.

Lastly, Xbox games are coming to other platforms. I believe that includes PS6 as game pass has killed game sales on Microsoft's platform and I doubt Nadella wants to lose that money they are making on Sony's system. So, if you have a good PC and are looking for a future console, the next Xbox isn't it in my opinion. If they have no exclusive games, what's the point of the purchase?
- Andrew Jakobs
  
  If it's capable of also playing Steam games, then it sure might make more sense to actually buy a new Xbox than a PS6. Especially with the prices these days for a new (simple) game pc. To be honest, if I could gave expanded the ram of the xbox series X and it could have also played steam games, I would have bought one on day one as its power was more as my current PC and it is MUCH cheaper as building a game pc with the same specs back then (all components) but in a smaller formfactor.
  - ApocalypseShadow
    
    If you have a PC already that plays Xbox games and Steam and VR, then, your point makes no sense. Why buy something you can already do today on your PC?
    
    Now you're talking about cost. PC gamers don't actually think of cost when building their gaming PCs. If they were cost conscious, they would only be playing on consoles and there would be no PC gaming. Another point that doesn't make sense.
    
    Third, you're speaking as if this console, PC, whatever, is going to be cheap. Or cheaper than building a gaming PC. Consoles are now $400 to $700 dollars. That's not cheap like the days of $299. Don't expect a cheap Xbox. $500 minimum. With that amount, you could just upgrade your PC or build one.
    
    There's nothing compelling about their new system. You seem to forget Microsoft no longer has exclusives anymore. Forza, Gears, soon to be Halo, Star Field, etc are on or will be on PlayStation. And by then, PS VR 2 and PS6 will have a huge VR catalog AND Microsoft's games. Even Microsoft's push into portable gaming has already been forgotten. No one talks about it.
    
    You might want to rethink your logic and reasoning.
    - Andrew Jakobs
      
      But not everybody has a PC with a GPU that's even RT3060+ yet, and someday they need to buy a new PC and I'll bet that new xbox will be hard to beat on price when putting together your own new same specced game pc. A lot of people don't upgrade their PC every 2-3 years, these days its more like 6-10 years.
TonyVT SkarredGhost

I wouldn't hold my breath for VR support
NL_VR

IF its a PC and it runs Windows it will be VR Compatible. I mean you can run VR on a steam deck and the other handheld PC (with mixed results when it comes to performance :) )
El Pato Producciones

It would be great if it had a built-in 3D streaming service and that it has compatibility with various viewers if they don't release their own, plus a dedicated detachable controller for use in both VR and non-VR functions.
Leisure Suit Barry

It will run windows so yes it will be VR compatible
Griffin

I wouldn't hold my breath, I mean they didn't support VR on Xbox so why would they support PC VR with this new 'hybrid' console? Even if they did it would have to come with some serious first party push to actually get any traction, but Xbxo has been an Abject failure for two generations now why anyone would put any value into their hardware at this point is beyond me