Xbox is struggling – in its latest quarterly report, Microsoft reported that Xbox hardware sales were down 13% and that Xbox content and services revenue was down 10% compared to the same period last year. The recent price hikes aren’t helping the situation either.

In a leaked memo seen by The Verge, Microsoft tells publishers it is working on official emulators that will support every console generation: the 2001 original, Xbox 360, Xbox One and the latest Xbox Series. These emulators will run on “Xbox PCs” as well as the next‑generation console, codenamed Project Helix.

Publishers will retain game rights, pricing and brand control, while Microsoft handles engineering and certification. However, publishers must opt‑in to adding past titles to the Helix catalog. The status of physical discs is unclear; Helix may lack an optical drive, leaving ownership questions. Publishers could see this as a chance to sell a title twice.

Support for original Xbox games was slated for early access last month, but that hasn’t launched yet. The full launch is scheduled for October. Microsoft will later focus on Xbox 360 titles in 2027–28, and Helix will run next‑gen titles, though a memory crisis may delay the console’s arrival.