The Xbox boss has bad news for fans.
New Xbox boss Asha Sharma has bad news for everyone waiting for the next generation of consoles: Xbox Helix could not only be expensive, but also difficult to get. According to Sharma, price and availability are primarily influenced by the rising cost of memory chips.
New Xbox for console and PC gaming
The cause of this tense situation is an industry-wide problem that extends far beyond the gaming world. Large tech companies are buying enormous quantities of memory chips for their AI data centers, driving up demand. This means that there is less and less of the cake left for manufacturers of consumer electronics, which makes the production of consoles and PCs noticeably more difficult.
In the interview with Game File, Sharma doesn’t want to give any specific details or even a schedule for the release of Project Helix. She refers to the dynamic world situation. Their top priority is to focus on the things they can control: “Building a great console that runs great games, including PC games” (Source: Game File).
Memory crisis has expensive consequences for gamers
The combination of console and PC makes many gamers fear that the next Xbox will be really expensive. The former management team spoke of a premium product here. Even if you save now, it won’t be of any use to you if the finished console is only released in limited numbers.
It’s not just Microsoft that is suffering from the memory shortage. According to rumors, Sony is also thinking about postponing the PS6. The next PlayStation could also be really expensive.
It’s hitting Valve particularly hard, as they want to release a mix of PC and console with the Steam Machine this year (just like Xbox plans to do). Here, too, the price is likely to be higher. Experts also fear that the gaming cube will then quickly sell out.