XBOX Project Helix Specs Face New RAM and Bandwidth Rumors

New XBOX developments include reports of a new Ori game, Gamescom announcements, and possible hardware changes planned for Project Helix. The reports cover a new developer for Ori, a potential XBOX sequel announcement, and speculation around memory capacity and bandwidth as RAM prices continue to rise.

A new Ori game is reportedly in development, but Moon Studios is no longer making it. Saber Interactive is apparently working on the game, and reports suggest it could be shown soon. There are also rumors that the game could be revealed during Gamescom. Some reports suggest the game will be shown and presented for the first time at Gamescom and could still be released later this year.

Gamescom Could Feature a New XBOX Sequel

It's unclear whether that game is Ori 3. Ori 1 and Ori 2 were made by Moon Studios, and the games were well received. With a different developer reportedly working on Ori 3, it will be interesting to see how the game plays and how the new team handles the series. Gamescom is approaching, and reports suggest another game could be shown during the event.

If the reported game is also planned for release later this year, the announcement could be followed by a relatively short wait. A lot of speculation remains about the game's identity. One possibility is the new Ori game, but that is not confirmed. Multiple sources, including Jess Corden and Nate the Hate, have reportedly discussed a sequel to a well-known XBOX IP.

The only information available from these reports is that the game is expected to be a sequel to a known XBOX franchise. It could be Ori, but it could also be something else. Gamescom is only a few days away, so more information should become available soon.

Project Helix Could Face Higher RAM Costs

There are rumors that RAM prices could rise to two or three times their current levels next year. Higher memory costs could make it harder for Xbox to price Project Helix at a level most people can afford if they still want to release it late next year.

That has led to speculation that XBOX could consider reducing the amount of RAM included in the console. It's hard to call this a downgrade because the original retail specification hasn't been officially announced. Only leaks and speculation have suggested a change to the planned memory configuration.

The 40GB figure could be for a development kit, since development hardware can have more RAM than hardware for sale. As a result, the original plan might have been between 32GB and 36GB, but that's just a guess. There has also been discussion about a possible 24GB configuration.

We cannot know whether that number makes technical sense without the final hardware design, because memory capacity isn't something you can change to any number without considering the rest of the system. Changing the memory configuration can involve the number of memory lanes, bandwidth, memory chips, and the amount of memory each module provides.

Lower Bandwidth Could Have a Larger Performance Impact

Another leak suggests Project Helix could receive reduced memory bandwidth. That could be a bigger concern than simply reducing RAM. If the console has less RAM, developers could mitigate the impact by lowering texture quality or making other changes to how games use memory. Lower memory bandwidth, however, could directly affect game performance.

The original Project Helix leaks reportedly pointed to a 192-bit memory bus, with total bandwidth expected to exceed 600 GB/s, depending on memory speed. Memory bandwidth depends on both memory bus width and memory speed. Some people have suggested that faster memory could compensate for a narrower bus.

PlayStation 5 uses a 256-bit memory bus, while the Xbox Series X uses a 320-bit bus.

Faster memory also costs more money, so that would not necessarily solve the underlying problem of rising memory prices. The current expectation remains that the next-generation XBOX could use a 192-bit memory bus. That would be narrower than the memory buses found in current-generation consoles.

Project Helix would therefore have a smaller memory bus if the 192-bit specification proves accurate. The difference is that the next-generation system's memory would be considerably faster. As a result, total memory bandwidth could still exceed current-generation consoles despite the narrower bus.

As of now, there is no evidence that Xbox will reduce Project Helix's memory or speed. The numbers mentioned are still based on rumors and leaks, and the console's final hardware configuration could change before it comes out.