Xbox CEO Asha Sharma delivered another installment in the ongoing corporate briefing on Project Helix this week, noting that mass audiences cannot reasonably absorb thousands of dollars in hardware costs amid rising RAM and storage prices.

The executive, speaking in recent appearances including a Fortune event, emphasized the need for "radically different business models" expected to emerge later this year, shifting focus from premium high-performance hardware to more accessible approaches while maintaining that the next console remains on track.

Exclusives will continue on a case-by-case basis tied to overall business health, with one or two signature titles planned initially as the division resets.

Hardware component costs, up significantly since Sharma took the role, are forcing reevaluation of the console's cost structure rather than simple price increases.