Xbox Project Helix could cost between $1,200 and $1,800, according to the latest rumors. The reason for these high prices is the crisis in the DRAM and NAND Flash markets, which will increase the console’s production costs by affecting two of its most important components.

Mike Ybarra, former vice president of Xbox, has shared his opinion on the matter and says that this is hard to believe, because a console aimed at the mass market needs to have a low selling price. He believes that launching a console at $1,200 or more would be a failure because it would not sell enough units, as it would not offer good value to users.

Ybarra is clear about his position. If launching a console meant reaching such a high price, he would prefer not to launch it at all, because he is convinced it would be a failure. He also says that current consoles are enough for now, that nobody is asking for a more powerful console, and that it would be better to stick with the current generation for the time being.

Ybarra’s opinion makes sense in that the value of consoles has always been to offer suitable gaming hardware at an attractive price. If console prices rise too much, that appeal disappears, and sales fall.

Microsoft and Sony have the final say, but with the crisis in the DRAM and NAND Flash storage markets, the decision is not easy. This is not a normal market situation, and next-generation consoles already have their SoCs decided, so both companies have limited room to make changes if they decide to wait.