Microsoft Hikes Xbox Series Prices, Games to Reach $80 This Holiday

If you're a fan of Xbox, you might want to act fast before prices go up significantly. In a recent announcement, Microsoft confirmed that it will be hiking prices on Xbox consoles, controllers, headsets, and some games. The increase for consoles and accessories went into effect today, May 1st, and although game prices remain unchanged for now, expect first-party titles to retail at $79.99 during the holiday season.

These price hikes apply globally, except for headsets, which are seeing an increase only in the U.S. and Canada.

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View 7 ImagesHere’s a breakdown of the new U.S. prices for various Xbox consoles and 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 Special Edition: $729.99 (up from $599.99)
• Xbox Wireless Controller (Core): $64.99
• Xbox Wireless Controller (Color): $69.99
• Xbox Wireless Controller - Special Edition: $79.99
• Xbox Wireless Controller - Limited Edition: $89.99 (up from $79.99)
• Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Core): $149.99 (up from $139.99)
• Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Full): $199.99 (up from $179.99)
• Xbox Stereo Headset: $64.99
• Xbox Wireless Headset: $119.99 (up from $109.99)

For additional regional price updates, visit the official Xbox announcement page.

According to Microsoft, the decision to increase prices stems from rising production costs and market conditions. The company aims to maintain value for Xbox players while expanding gaming opportunities across multiple platforms.

While specific titles priced at $80 haven’t been confirmed, potential candidates include upcoming first-party releases such as the next Call of Duty installment, Fable, Perfect Dark, Clockwork Revolution, Everwild, Gears of War: E-Day, OD by Hideo Kojima, and State of Decay 3. Double Fine is also developing a new game.

Upcoming events like the Xbox Games Showcase 2025 and The Outer Worlds 2 Direct are anticipated to shed more light on these developments in June.

This marks the first major price adjustment for Xbox Series S consoles since their launch in 2020. Previously, Microsoft had committed to keeping prices steady in 2022, aligning with Sony’s PS5 price hike. However, Xbox did raise Series X prices in 2023 in most regions, excluding the U.S., and has incrementally increased Xbox Game Pass subscriptions globally.

Although the scale of this price increase is notable, it shouldn’t come as a complete surprise. Last week, PlayStation implemented similar hikes in the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, marking the second such move in three years.

The gaming industry has been gradually adjusting prices due to rising development costs, with AAA games moving from $60 to $70 over the past five years. Nintendo has also adopted a $80 price tag for select Switch 2 exclusives like Mario Kart World. Even the Switch 2 itself launched at $450, sparking controversy among fans despite analysts predicting such a move was inevitable.

Analysts speculate further price adjustments could occur post-launch for Nintendo’s latest console, echoing concerns voiced by the Entertainment Software Association regarding industry-wide impacts.