Gaming just got more expensive as Xbox prices surge

The post Gaming just got more expensive as Xbox prices surge appeared first on Android Headlines.

May 1, 2025 - 21:11

Gaming is getting more expensive by the day, it seems, as Microsoft has just announced that it’s raising prices for Xbox consoles, games, and hardware. Not all prices are going to increase immediately, as the company says that it’s holding off on raising the cost of games until the holiday season. Only some of Microsoft’s first-party games will get the bump, going from $69.99 to $79.99.

Most Xbox hardware, however, is going to be more expensive as of today, May 1. Prices of Xbox consoles appear to be taking the hardest hit. The Xbox Series S is now going to cost $379.99 instead of the previous price of $299.99. This is for the 512GB model. There’s also a 1TB Xbox Series S, and Microsoft is raising the price on that to $429.99. For the Xbox Series X, the all-digital model is betting a bump to $549.99, while the disc model is going up to $599.99. And if you want to opt for the Galaxy Black Special Edition model with 2TB of storage, you’re now looking at $729.99.

That’s a lot of money for a console that doesn’t offer any extra power over the original. Considering these increases, Xbox Game Pass might look more like an enticing option for some. Microsoft isn’t changing the price of Game Pass. So, it might be more economically viable for certain consumers.

Microsoft is also raising the prices of Xbox peripherals

It’s not just Xbox consoles that are getting a price increase. Controllers and the official Xbox headset will cost a little more now, too. For the controllers, Microsoft is only bumping up the cost on some. The Adaptive Controller and Adaptive Joystick aren’t changing. However, the base Xbox controllers and even the Elite Series 2 are going up.

Base (Core) Xbox wireless controllers will now cost $64.99, while the Elite Series 2 is going up to $199.99. Color, Special Edition, and Limited Edition Xbox wireless controllers are going up as well, with prices now set at $69.99, $79.99, and $89.99, respectively.

Additionally, the Xbox Stereo Headset is now going to be $64.99, and the Xbox Wireless Headset is going up to $119.99.

Headset prices won’t be increasing globally

While consoles, games, and controllers are going up in price across the world, headsets will only be going up in the US and Canada. Microsoft doesn’t say why other regions won’t be seeing the price increases, but it does mention the reasons for the increase in general.

Although some might jump straight to this being a direct result of Trump’s tariffs, Microsoft doesn’t say as much. All it says is that the decisions “were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development.”

Regardless of the reason, it could make Xbox consoles an even tougher sell against Sony’s PS5. The digital edition of the PS5 Slim model is (for now) sticking with its $449.99 price tag. Meanwhile, the disc edition is staying at $499.99. A whole $100 cheaper than what the Xbox Series X with 1GB of storage and the disc drive is going to cost. Sony even has Astro Bot bundles of both versions of the console for $50 less. That’s assuming Sony doesn’t also make the decision to increase prices.

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