Price Hikes Come to Xbox Series X|S

The bump in costs follows Nintendo Switch 2's price reveal and increased tariffs in the US.

Well, it was bound to happen: Nintendo set the new standard for game prices with $70 and $80 Switch 2 games, so naturally the industry would follow suit. Microsoft announced yesterday that it will be increasing the price of its Xbox Series X}S consoles, accessories, and games as of May 1, 2025. Here's how the new pricing shakes out:

That's a net gain of roughly $80 for Xbox Series S 512 GB (formerly $300), $80 for Xbox Series S 1 TB GB (formerly $350), $100 for Xbox Series X Digital (formerly $450), $100 for Xbox Series X (formerly $500), and $140 for Xbox Series X 2TB (formerly $600). Game prices are also set to rise come the Christmas shopping season, with first-party games primed to clock in at $80 apiece from circa November forward. Here's Microsoft's statement about the price hikes, as posted on its Xbox support page:

As of May 1, we have adjusted recommended retailer pricing for our consoles and controllers worldwide. We also expect to adjust the pricing of some of our new, first-party games starting this holiday season to $79.99. Those titles purchased on the Xbox Store have the benefit of Xbox Play Anywhere, allowing players to buy once and play on console and PC at no additional cost.

We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development. Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players.

It's certainly a... fascinating move given the Xbox hardware business isn't doing so well of late. Firmly rooted in third place in the current console war, Xbox has become more about positioning Game Pass as a multiplatform gaming service than being a leader in hardware sales. Still, in August of 2024 Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella claimed to be wholly in support of Xbox as a console, and rumors of a handheld version of the Xbox hardware remain persistent. That all said, whether or not charging between $80 and $100 more for Xbox systems and controllers hardly seems like a way to endear the brand with lapsed and potential consumers.

Tariffs, naturally, seem to be the unspoken bogeyman that "market conditions" represents, but as mentioned above, Nintendo's decision to start charging more for its own games and hardware likely played as much of a factor in these price changes as anything else. What say you, folks? Hankering to buy a Series X now that they cost 600 bucks each?

Source: Xbox Support Page