---
title: 'The "Return" of Xbox'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=y0wrUORM_gc'
video_id: 'y0wrUORM_gc'
date: 2026-07-28
duration_sec: 458
---

# The "Return" of Xbox

> Source: [The "Return" of Xbox](https://youtube.com/watch?v=y0wrUORM_gc)

## Summary

The video discusses Xbox's 2025 showcase, highlighting a new limited-edition console and a strategic shift towards bringing back console exclusives. The host analyzes the brand's reset under new CEO Asha Sharma, the uncertain future of Project Helix, and the challenges ahead.

### Key Points

- **Xbox Series X25 Revealed** [0:13] — A limited-edition transparent green console celebrating the 25th anniversary, launching in November 2025. No price or exact date announced.
- **Xbox Brand Reset** [1:04] — 2025 was a terrible year for Xbox due to price hikes and turmoil. New CEO Asha Sharma is breaking old rules, signaling a reset.
- **Return of Exclusives** [1:34] — Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution are Xbox console exclusives (still on PC). Most other games remain multi-platform.
- **Project Helix Silence** [3:28] — No mention of next-gen Xbox at showcase. Host believes it's not the right time to launch a new console due to RAM crisis and uncertainty.
- **Microsoft's Commitment to Xbox** [4:52] — Xbox is one of few beloved consumer brands for Microsoft. They've invested heavily and need it to succeed.
- **Positive Signs Under New Leadership** [5:40] — Last 100 days saw Game Pass price cut, return of exclusives, and strong game slate (Forza, Halo, Gears, Fable).
- **Uncertain Future** [6:08] — PlayStation dominates this generation. Questions remain about Windows on Xbox, backwards compatibility, and Project Helix's launch.

### Conclusion

Xbox is showing promising early signs with exclusives and new leadership, but the hard decisions about next-gen hardware and software remain. The console wars are reignited.

## Transcript

- How about that return to Xbox?
So this year at Xbox Showcase,
not only is there some brand-new hardware,
as you can see,
but there is also a major shift
to the strategy when it comes to Xbox,
but let's talk hardware first.
This is the brand-new Xbox Series X25.
Now, that name, as you might expect,
is because this is the
25th anniversary of Xbox.
To celebrate, they're doing a
full custom limited edition.
So this is in the OG transparent green.
There's a lot of nice little
detail on the console.
So not only can you see through
to things like the vapor
chamber, the cooler.
So if you look on the back,
you can actually see just
how transparent it is.
You can see light flying all
the way through the console,
especially down here.
So this will be launching
in November of this year.
So no word yet on price or the exact date
or how limited it really will be.
But I do know that they
will be selling the console
with the controller together,
and you'll also be able to
buy the controller itself.
The controller's sick,
dude, this is so good,
especially with the OG
Xbox logo on the back.
But this is a callback to
the original days of Xbox.
So the context coming into
Xbox Showcase this year
is a real reset of Xbox as a brand.
2025 was a terrible year, right?
I mean, between the price hikes,
all the sort of turmoil,
but now I think there's some
real momentum behind the brand.
You know, you've got Asha
Sharma, who's the new CEO.
It feels like the existing rules
are kind of being broken a little bit,
which, I'll be honest, is
probably the right move, right?
I think Xbox need a little bit of a reset.
- [Asha] How about those exclusives?
(crowd cheering)
- What an interesting showcase.
The big news for me really was
the return of the exclusive.
So this has been a real
point of contention
for the Xbox team for
the last several years,
ever since they brought out the idea
that everything is an Xbox.
So they showed a lot of games at showcase.
The vast majority of them
are still landing on the PS5, on Steam,
even a lot of them are landing
on the Switch and Switch 2.
There are, however, two
Xbox console exclusives.
So they'll still be landing on PC,
they announced today.
So Gears of War: E-Day,
which everyone assumed was
going to be landing on the PS5.
However, that is now going
to be console exclusive to the Xbox,
as well as Clockwork Revolution,
which is a game that is also only going
to be launching on Xbox console hardware.
This is the right move, in my opinion.
I think what we're seeing right now
is the return of exclusives
coming back in a big way.
We're seeing Sony,
where they're pretty much
just ditching the idea
of even bringing a lot
of these games to PC.
So my expectation is that the big titles,
the live service games,
the stuff that really rely on multiplayer,
these will continue to be everywhere.
The incentive to buy a console
for a long time has been the exclusive,
and I think that that's what Xbox team
lost and are bringing back.
So, you know, how many
people bought an Xbox
to play Halo or Gears or Forza?
How many people buy a PlayStation
to play The Last of Us,
Wolverine or Spider-Man?
So what I will say is
this was not across the board,
and they did not say,
"Oh, this is our plan going forward."
So the vast majority of
the games they showed today
are still launching on PS5 and Steam,
and Switch and everything like that.
I think the main thing is,
for new games that they
have not already announced
or hadn't basically already
completed the PS5 version,
I'm gonna assume they're
gonna really sort of
take a second look
at whether or not they
actually wanna roll out that,
because there's a risk, right,
and there's definitely a risk.
They're gonna sell fewer games
if they don't launch on the PS5.
And what they did not
talk about at all today,
not even one little morsel,
was Project Helix, their
next generation of Xbox.
So it's funny, I actually have
had some good conversations
with the Xbox team
while I've been here over
the last couple of days.
I really think that they have
pretty much the same
sense as everyone else
that these are really
unprecedented times
when it comes to the RAM Crisis.
I think that it's one of those things
where I do not envy them
for trying to plan out
and launch their next generation,
and they're taking their time.
And I'll be honest with you, they should.
As a content creator,
I would love it if they start talking
about Project Helix and it's hands-on,
and all this kinda stuff.
But look, this is not the
time to launch a new console.
This is not even the time
to really get that serious about it.
Now, my understanding is
that there are a lot of conversations
that are still ongoing as far as
what they're gonna do and when.
My best understanding of
Project Helix right now
is that there will be more
to share later this year,
but they wanted to focus
showcase on the games.
Completely the correct call.
But I think it's gonna
be really interesting
because the next generation
is highly, highly uncertain.
And while I'm glad that we've
got the Xbox Series X25,
I think it's a cool special edition.
It's just that: a special edition.
It feels like it is a
real shift at the moment.
You know, there's new leadership,
there's a new strategy
bringing exclusives back,
and there's the looming next generation.
But what I will say is
that the vibe I get,
that Microsoft are serious about Xbox.
If you think about it,
Microsoft as a company.
What consumer brands do they have
that people actually really like?
Xbox and...
- [Ken] Copilot?
- People love Copilot, you're right.
Excel perhaps.
But, like, for real,
this is an important thing for Microsoft,
and they've invested so much money
in Xbox being successful
that they kind of need
to make it successful.
And what form it takes over the next year,
I think, is gonna be a
really interesting thing.
So both Matt Booty and Asha Sharma,
the, you know, heads of Xbox,
they had a little presentation
sort of after the showcase.
And, you know, Asha mentioned
that this is her, I think,
100th day on the job.
And I actually got to speak
with her briefly last night,
and it was definitely,
the size of the task is not small,
but here's the thing:
I will say that, almost
exclusively at this point,
the last 100 days has been good news.
We've seen the price
cut on Xbox Game Pass.
We've seen the return of exclusives.
There's obviously a great
slate of games they've got
between, obviously,
Forza had just launched.
You've got Halo, which looks fun.
You've got Gears.
There's a lot of stuff.
Fable, I think, is actually
really, really impressive looking.
There's no getting around the fact
that they're in a deep hole right now.
PlayStation have trounced
the Xbox this generation,
as they did last generation.
The idea of what is a
console versus what is a PC
and what that next generation of Xbox is
feels very uncertain.
Like, what's the right call?
I mean, it seems like
they're very committed
to making Windows the
core of the next Xbox,
which, if they can pull
it off, is a great idea.
But will they get Windows
to an actually healthy enough spot
that you will feel comfortable using it
with a controller on your TV?
They're making progress,
but they're not there yet.
Will they have that full
backwards compatibility
with your existing Xbox games?
If they ditch the optical drive,
which I'm sure they will,
how are you gonna keep
your existing library?
Like, there's so many questions
about how they tackle Project Helix,
and presumably we'll be
finding out more soon.
But I'm very curious,
what do you think about
the return of Xbox?
To me, it is the beginning.
I think there are a lot of good signs,
but I think a lot of
what we've seen so far
is almost kind of the low-hanging fruit.
You know, bringing back exclusives,
cancel your PS5 version of Gears.
Cool, whatever. 
That's fine.
You know, cutting the price of Game Pass.
You need to do that.
People are canceling.
I think now comes the hard decisions.
How do you launch Project Helix?
How much is Project Helix?
How good is the Windows Xbox experience?
And what does that next slate of games
really look like to drive
you to actually wanna buy it?
I have absolutely no idea
the answers to these questions,
but if you wanna find out along with me,
make sure to subscribe to the channel
and ring-a-ling that ding-a-ling button.
The console wars are back, baby,
just the way it was supposed to be.