Microsoft’s Project Helix Hardware Schedule May Move Forward as Xbox Takes Greater OS Control

Microsoft’s Xbox team is reportedly taking greater control over the operating system for Project Helix hardware, according to Fortune. The report says the shift followed a threat that appears to have contributed to the current situation.

Sharma said the Xbox and hardware groups are still working closely together. However, Fortune reports that Microsoft has pressured the hardware team to move Project Helix’s schedule forward by “at least a few months,” using artificial intelligence tools where applicable.

Xbox Game Pass could adopt a layered pricing structure

The report also claims, citing “people familiar with the strategy,” that Xbox Game Pass may soon move to a layered, a la carte model. Under the proposed structure, subscribers could choose from options such as console-only games, cloud gaming, and multiplayer add-ons.

That would represent a significant change from the current Game Pass plans, which include a combination of cloud-based games, console games, and console multiplayer access for players who do not already have it.

Report raises questions about Xbox leadership and job cuts

Elsewhere in its extensive profile, Fortune cites concerns from “several current and former staffers” that Sharma was brought in primarily to carry out painful job cuts ahead of the anticipated sale of the Xbox Group spinoff.

Microsoft executive Judson Althoff pushed back against that interpretation, saying:

“[Sharma] [is] about the business we are trying to sell. There will be a lot of speculation about all of this. Time will tell.”