Microsoft has been talking about its next-gen Xbox at this year’s GDC, now known as the GDC Festival of Gaming. The device, code-named Project Helix, will play both PC and console games and will be powered by a custom AMD SoC, co-designed to best support the next generation of DirectX and FSR.

AMD’s Jack Huynh revealed the ‘FSR Diamond’ moniker in a post on X, promising that the technology will be “deeply integrated” into the Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK) for Xbox. It’s essentially an evolution of what PC gamers can already enjoy, with machine learning upscaling, frame generation, neural rendering, and ray generation for ray tracing & path tracing.

FSR Diamond might be exclusive to RDNA 5

One important note is that AMD has confirmed multi-frame generation for FSR Diamond, finally joining Nvidia and Intel rather than shying away from more aggressive FG. Team Red has previously played it cautiously, sticking to 2x frame generation (this is still a single AI-generated frame, as the ‘2’ includes the natively rendered frame). But this upgrade may come with a compromise.

Well-known hardware tipster Kepler claims that FSR Diamond will be exclusive to RDNA 5 architecture. The leaker suggests AMD will need access to new artificial intelligence and machine learning features available in RDNA 5 to produce a “meaningful improvement” over the existing FSR 4 technology (now replaced by FSR Redstone). As you may have guessed, Project Helix is expected to feature RDNA 5 graphics architecture, or perhaps adopt the long-rumored ‘UDNA‘ naming.

Speaking of FSR Redstone, the tech remains exclusive to current-gen RDNA 4 graphics cards, which right now only includes the RX 9000 series – headed by the flagship RX 9070 XT. PC gamers are still waiting for support on older generations, predominantly the RX 7000 series (RDNA 3). This has been achieved unofficially with tools such as the Optiscaler mod. Leaks back in September last year suggested official support was on the way, but hope seems to have faded between then and now.

Newly-appointed CEO Asha Sharma said she wants to take Xbox back to its roots, calling it “the return of Xbox,” and that seems to be the direction we’re heading in – though obviously with the modern addition of AI-fuelled features. The new Xbox boss even took a trip down Microsoft memory lane and snapped a picture of the OG Xbox prototype during GDC 2026; the iconic X-shaped console was originally referred to as the DirectX Box during its development before being shortened.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.