Microsoft Raises Xbox Prices Again
And again. After raising prices for Xbox consoles earlier this year , Microsoft has just announced another price hike—the second in four months. Now, even Microsoft’s cheapest console, the Xbox Series S, will cost at least $400.
As someone who bought an Xbox Series S for $150 a few years ago, I find this disappointing. (Of course, I got a really good deal. Still.) Microsoft blames the new prices on “changes in the macroeconomic environment,” so take that as you will .
How much more expensive will the Xbox be?
Here’s how much Microsoft consoles will cost after the new prices go into effect:
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Xbox Series S (512GB) : $400 (was $380)
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Xbox Series S (1TB) : $450 (was $430)
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Xbox Series X Digital Edition : $600 (was $550)
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Xbox Series X : $650 (was $600)
Keep in mind that even after Sony’s own price hike, American gamers can still buy the PS5 for $550 and the PS5 Digital Edition for $500 . Yes, Microsoft’s consoles are technically cheaper to begin with, but the Series S is more comparable to the original Nintendo Switch than the Xbox Series X or PS5, and $400 is a steep price, even though the original Switch also went up in price last month , with its OLED model now also costing $400. However, apples-to-apples, Sony’s console will soon be significantly cheaper than Microsoft’s.
Gamers who prefer physical media will be hit the hardest, as to get a disc drive, you’ll have to opt for the Xbox Series X without a digital disc drive, meaning the price will increase more than the competition. Last year, the Xbox Series S went up $80 and the Series X went up $100, while this year, the Xbox Series S has gone up $20 and the Xbox Series X has gone up $50.
On the other hand, Microsoft stated that prices for controllers and headsets “will remain the same,” which was not the case last time. This may be a hint at its overall console development strategy: Microsoft has recently been heavily investing in cloud gaming , and technically, games don’t even require a console. In this case, raising prices for gaming hardware is perhaps less risky for the Halo developers than for the God of War developers.
And I haven’t even mentioned Microsoft’s most expensive PC yet. If you’re a die-hard Xbox fan and want the 2TB Xbox Series X Galaxy Black Special Edition , it’ll currently cost you $800, an increase of $70. Honestly, in that case, you could probably just buy a PC.
There’s something you can do about this price hike, even if it feels like a bribe: it doesn’t go into effect until October 3rd, so if you’ve been hesitant about buying an Xbox, now’s the time to act. You’ll still have to live with the May price increase, but at least you’ll save between $20 and $70.