As the next generation of consoles approaches, we recently got some insight as to the potential price range of the next Xbox system. Right now referred to as Project Helix, it seems like the next console was intended to have a pretty hefty price tag. Comments made by Xbox CEO, Asha Sharma, allude to prices unheard of by any previous generation. There are several factors at play here, creating such a potentially high price for the system.
In a message to Xbox employees, Sharma writes about the problems facing the development of new consoles. According to Sharma, the ballooning costs of storage components has caused Xbox to have to spend two times what they previously spent, and she suspects this will increase to five times soon. In an interview with Fortune, Sharma discusses the impact that AI data centers are having on component costs. She also drops a bit of a bombshell when she alludes to the idea of consoles costing "thousands of dollars."
Now, in the context of the interview, Sharma was saying that Xbox will need to pivot their current strategy, as she doesn't think players will be able to afford a console that expensive. Although this hopefully...
