Microsoft: Developer version of the next Xbox not before 2027

Microsoft promises “a quantum leap in performance and capabilities of ray tracing” for the next generation of its game console. The new Xbox is intended to offer “more realistic, immersive, and dynamic worlds for players.” This was explained by Jason Ronald, Vice President of the next Xbox generation, yesterday at the Game Developers Conference 2026 (GDC). The basis is to be a new version of AMD's AI upscaler called “FSR Diamond.” However, even developers of Xbox games will have to be patient. Alpha versions of the next Xbox are not expected to be available until 2027.

It has been known for at least a month that the new Xbox will not be presented before 2027. In early February, AMD CEO Lisa Su said that AMD will complete the next Xbox processor in 2027. Microsoft's next game console is again based on a semi-custom processor from AMD, which will therefore not be ready until next year. From AMD's perspective, nothing stands in the way of a market launch in 2027. However, Microsoft could also push it to 2028 if the current memory crisis significantly increases the console's cost.

AMD's new AI Upscaler FSR Diamond

Nothing is known about the specifications of the new AMD processor, but Jack Huynh, head of AMD's Computing and Graphics Group, now writes that the new AI upscaler will be called “FSR Diamond.” AMD's artificial frame generation is based on machine learning and is intended to ensure smooth gameplay by generating intermediate frames based on previous and subsequent frames. According to Huynh, FSR Diamond was “developed for native optimization for Project Helix and deeply integrated into the GDK,” Microsoft's Game Development Kit for developers.

The codename of the next Xbox, “Project Helix,” was announced by the new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma just a few days ago. In a teaser of the new console generation, Microsoft confirmed that Project Helix plays PC games. Jason Ronald also reaffirmed this at the GDC. “The PC is becoming an increasingly important part of Xbox,” he said according to The Verge. “We are bringing the best of Xbox directly to Windows.”

Xbox Games also on Windows PCs

For this purpose, the console mode for Windows is intended to make Xbox games usable on Windows PCs as well. This was already indicated last year when the handheld console ROG Xbox Ally with Windows 11 and a customized interface appeared. Microsoft has long since aligned the underlying graphics APIs for game development with DirectX 12. Now Ronald promises that this Xbox mode for Windows 11 will be available “for selected markets starting in April.”

This means developers will only have to program games once to bring them to Windows PC and Xbox instead of adapting or rewriting them accordingly. It remains unclear whether this will include all upcoming Xbox games and whether it will be sufficient to pay for a game once but be able to play it on both PC and Xbox. Ronald at least hinted at this. Within the “Xbox Play Anywhere” program, it is possible to “seamlessly take games across different screens.”

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