Price Surge for Xbox Consoles, Controllers, and Games Globally

Microsoft has announced an increase in the cost of its Xbox Series S and X consoles, controllers, and several new Xbox games worldwide. Starting now, the company has revised the retail prices for these products, impacting their sale in various markets.

New Pricing Details

The Xbox Series S with a storage capacity of 512GB will see its price jump from $299.99 to $379.99, marking an addition of $80. The Series X, with 1TB of space, will now cost $599.99, a $100 rise from its previous $499.99. Meanwhile, the Series S 1TB version is adjusted to $429.99. Notably, the Xbox Series X digital-only variant is set at $549.99, and the extraordinary 2TB galaxy black special edition reaches a staggering $729.99.

In the U.S., updated suggested retail prices for accessories show the Xbox wireless controller moving to $64.99, while the wireless headset is now priced at $119.99. These devices are already available at these updated costs.

Games and Subscription Impact

Newly released first-party Xbox games will increase their price from $69.99 to $79.99 this holiday period, paralleling certain high-price games from Nintendo’s lineup. However, the Xbox Game Pass subscription fees remain unchanged.

International Adjustments

This pricing change affects European markets as well, including the UK. In these regions, the Xbox Series S (512GB) will now retail at €349.99 or £299.99, while the Series X (1TB) moves to €599.99 or £499.99. Earlier, Sony had also increased the PS5’s cost in these areas.

Microsoft’s last price revision for the Xbox Series X occurred in June 2023, alongside changes to Xbox Game Pass prices as part of the introduction of a new subscription tier.

Company Performance Insights

The recent price hikes follow a period of strong performance, as highlighted by CEO Satya Nadella during the fiscal Q3 earnings call. Microsoft became the top publisher due to preorders and preinstalls across Xbox and PlayStation Store platforms, and its PC Game Pass revenue grew by 45% over the past year.