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For the second time this year, Microsoft is raising prices for its Xbox consoles in the US.
The company made the announcement on a support page. The Xbox Series X is increasing by $50. Meanwhile, the Xbox Series S will soon cost $20 more. Here’s a full breakdown:
- Xbox Series S (512GB): New $399.99 | Current $379.99 | April $299.99
- Xbox Series S (1TB): New $449.99 | Current $429.99 | April $349.99
- Xbox Series X Digital: New $599.99 | Current $549.99 | April $449.99
- Xbox Series X: New $649.99 | Current $599.99 | April $499.99
- Xbox Series X (2TB Galaxy Black): New $799 | Current $729.99 | April $599.99
The good news is that the price hikes don't go into effect until Oct. 3, so you still have time to snag an Xbox console at a lower price. "Pricing for controllers and headsets will remain the same," the support page adds.
Why another price hike? Microsoft is vague, blaming "changes in the macroeconomic environment.” However, it's only happening for US consumers, suggesting Trump's tariffs played a role. Daniel Ahmad, a video games analyst at Niko Partners, directly blamed the tariffs, which are currently imposing a 30% duty on imports from China and a 20% rate on imports from Vietnam — two major manufacturers of video game hardware.
Microsoft didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about tariffs. But in the support page, the company said: “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.”
PlayStation fans haven’t been able to dodge the price hikes. Last month, Sony instituted its own increase for the PS5 in the US. Nintendo has only increased prices for the older Switch 1 console, not the newly released Switch 2. But Ahmad says it’s possible Nintendo will eventually resort to a price increase next year to offset the tariffs.