Microsoft is once again raising the price of its Xbox Series S and X consoles in the United States. In a post on the official Xbox support site, the company confirmed that the new prices will go into effect beginning on October 3rd.
This will be the second price increase Xbox consoles have received this year alone, although this time it is only the United States that's being affected. In May, Microsoft announced price hikes for Xbox consoles and accessories across the globe. We saw the cost of consoles increase anywhere from $80 to $130, depending on the model. The price of Xbox controllers and headsets were also raised by about $10.
The latest round of price hikes are due to what that the company says are "changes in the macroeconimic environment."
"We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration," Microsoft support wrote. "Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and providing value for Xbox players."
Beginning October 3rd, the new prices for the Xbox lineup of consoles in the United States will be:
- Xbox Series S 512GB - $399.99 ($20 increase from $379.99)
- Xbox Series S 1TB - $449.99 ($20 increase from $429.99)
- Xbox Series X Digital - $599.99 ($50 increase from $549.99)
- Xbox Series X - $659.99 ($50 increase from $599.99)
- Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Edition - $799.99 ($70 increase from $729.99)
On the bright side, the price for controllers and headsets will remain the same, for now.
Although the price of gaming consoles generally decreases over time, we're seeing quite the opposite with this current generation. Both Microsoft and Sony have seen their respective consoles go up in price in many regions, largely due to tariff pressures, inflation, and supply issues.
Going back to when they first launched in 2020, the Xbox Series S was priced at $299.99, while the Xbox Series X was $499.99. These latest prices announced represent a total increase of around 30% in the five years.
Likewise, Sony has also seen the price of the PlayStation 5 increase over the past five years. The launch price of the base PS5 with disc drive was $499.99, while the PS5 Digital Edition was $399 in 2020. In August, Sony announced that the recommended retail price for PS5 consoles in the U.S. would increase to $549.99 for the base PS5 with disc drive and $499.99 for the Digital Edition.
In addition to an increase in console prices, many game publishers have been flirting with the idea of raising game prices as well. Nintendo has already launched a few games for the Nintendo Switch 2 at $80. Microsoft tried to do the same, announcing in May that the price of Xbox games would be increases from the $70 to $80. However, after facing substantial backlash, Microsoft reversed its decision and opted to keep the price of Xbox games for the current holiday season at $70.
With the holiday season approaching, it looks like any savings offers or bundles will simply reduce the price of consoles back to what they were just a few months ago.