(Photo by Phil Barker/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Microsoft is raising prices for the Xbox console and its games, forcing consumers to pay $100 extra for the Xbox Series X and up to $80 for upcoming first-party titles.
The Xbox Series X now starts at $599. The new price already appears on Microsoft.com and some retailer sites, though others are still selling Xbox consoles at their original prices, so you may want to buy right now if you'd been eyeing a new Xbox.
"We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development," Microsoft said on a support page.
It's no secret that Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods are causing many vendors to consider price increases to offset import costs. Chinese-made consoles, including the Xbox, currently face a 145% tariff. Microsoft declined to comment on whether Trump's trade war contributed to the price hike. But video games analyst Daniel Ahmad suspects tariffs are the main driver for the increase. That's because Microsoft is raising the price in not just the US, but in other markets free from Trump's tariffs.
"The global price increases are to soften the actual price increase in the US, which is Xbox's largest market, as well as due to currency fluctuations," he said in a tweet.
On the game front, Microsoft says it expects "to adjust the pricing of some of our new, first-party games starting this holiday season to $79.99." That comes after Nintendo said it plans to charge $80 for some Switch 2 games, and raised prices on some Switch 2 accessories due to tariffs.
Here’s a full breakdown of the price increases, which also include accessories:
- Xbox Series S 512 — $379.99, up from $299.99
- Xbox Series S 1TB — $429.99, up from $349.99
- Xbox Series X Digital — $549.99, up from $449.99
- Xbox Series X — $599.99, up from $499.99
- Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition —$729.99, up from $599.99
- Xbox Wireless Controller (Core) — $64.99, up from $59.99
- Xbox Wireless Controller (Color) — $69.99, up from $64.99
- Xbox Wireless Controller – Special Edition — $79.99, up from $74.99
- Xbox Wireless Controller – Limited Edition — $89.99, up from $84.99
- Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Core) — $149.99, up from $139.99
- Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Full) — $199.99, up from $159.99
- Xbox Stereo Headset — $64.99 up from $59.99
- Xbox Wireless Headset — $119.99, up from $109.99
The change doesn’t bode well for gamers. A few weeks ago, Sony increased prices on its PlayStation 5 console by roughly 10-15% in Europe, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. There's no word on whether it will do the same in the US.