Those wanting to get an Xbox Series X|S console will now have to pony up a bit more money after yet another price hike. Microsoft recently raised global prices of its Xbox Series X|S consoles back in May by ~$80-$129 and has announced it will be raising them again as of October 3. This time, however, the cost increases will only occur in the U.S.
“Beginning on October 3, we will update the recommended retailer pricing for Series S and Series X consoles in the United States due to changes in the macroeconomic environment.
We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration. Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and providing value for Xbox players.”
-Xbox
Once again, the model getting the largest price increase is the Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black. Last time around, its pricetag went from $599.99 to $729.99. Those still wanting one will now have to pay $60 more on top of the previous $129 increase for a total of $799.99, basically a $200 increase in less than six months. The good news is that if you can still afford more money on this console experience, controllers and headsets can still be had at the same price since the last increase, at least for now.
U.S. Prices as of May
- Xbox Series S 512 $379.99
- Xbox Series S 1TB $429.99
- Xbox Series X Digital $549.99
- Xbox Series X $599.99
- Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition $729.99
U.S. Prices as of October 3
- Xbox Series S 512 $399.99
- Xbox Series S 1TB $449.99
- Xbox Series X Digital $599.99
- Xbox Series X $649.99
- Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition $799.99
As scary as these prices are, they do raise questions about what Microsoft will plan for its next round of consoles. It’s expected that both it and Sony, which by the way is currently selling its PS5 Pro 2 TB model at $749.99, will launch their next generation of consoles within the next couple of years, or sooner, but if a current flagship Xbox is going for essentially $800, one can only wonder what its successor will go for. Meanwhile, Microsoft is continuing to expand its Xbox gaming platform across PCs and gaming handhelds via its app and collaboration with ASUS.