Microsoft Gives Unwanted Upgrade to XBox Games Next Month

Once again, Microsoft is raising the prices for its Xbox Series S and X consoles in the United States starting next month. The Xbox Series X, for instance, will see a fifty-dollar increase from its previous price, now costing $649.99. Similarly, the Xbox Series S will move up to a new price of $399.99, which is a twenty-dollar increase. Why is the company choosing to implement these changes now?

 Microsoft Puts a Premium on Play

Microsoft answered this question by explaining its decision to raise its game prices. It specifically pointed to shifts in the macroeconomic environment, a phrase many interpret as a reference to increased tariffs, to defend its reasoning. However, this change won’t personally affect console pricing outside of the US. Likewise, American customers can find solace in that the price of accessories like controllers and headsets will remain the same.

Additionally, the more powerful 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition Xbox Series X is also getting a significant price hike. That particular model will have a seventy-dollar increase and now costs $799.99. This announcement follows another recent price increase from Microsoft made back in May, when the company raised prices worldwide on its consoles and accessories.

The Price of Fun Just Increased

Due to these previous adjustments, the price of the Xbox Series X increases by one hundred dollars, while the Series S goes up by eighty dollars. When combined with the new changes, what does this mean for the overall price change? To put it simply, the Xbox Series X has increased by one hundred and fifty dollars, and the Series S by one hundred dollars, in a very short six-month period.

The trajectory for the special edition console is even more dramatic, with the 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition Xbox Series X being a prime example. Although the console launched at $599.99 nearly a year ago, its new price of $799.99 marks a two-hundred-dollar increase in a single year. Since 2023, these latest adjustments mark the second time Microsoft has raised game prices. Whether these price increases are good depends on the consumers, as Microsoft ultimately reversed that decision in July after announcing it.