Xbox Project Helix may launch without controller to cut price

Microsoft is reportedly considering selling its next‑generation Xbox, codenamed Project Helix, without a controller included in the package. Industry source Jez Corden said the company is weighing options such as omitting the controller or offering flexible storage choices, like selling the console without internal storage and letting buyers install their own SSDs, to keep the launch price affordable amid a global memory‑chip shortage.

The same speculation notes that Valve has also looked at a controller‑free model, and analysts suggest the move could give Xbox a price advantage over Sony’s upcoming PlayStation. No official statement from Microsoft has been made, and the reports remain unconfirmed.