Oh, man. So, Microsoft decided to jack up the prices on just about everything Xbox-related. Consoles, controllers, headsets, and even the games themselves. Why, you ask? Well, they blame those elusive “market conditions” and, of course, rising development costs. I mean, don’t we all love a good price hike story? Anyway, now if you’re looking at snagging an Xbox Series X, be ready to cough up $599.99 or €599.99. And those controllers? They’ll set you back $64.99 or €64.99. First-party games coming out this holiday? $79.99, thank you very much. But hey, at least the Xbox Game Pass stays steady. For now, anyway.
And here’s a tidbit from Microsoft: “Hey, as of May 1, we’ve adjusted those lovely retailer prices worldwide.” In layman’s terms, prepare your wallet because those holiday games are now $79.99. Feels like a punch to the gut, huh?
Let’s dig deeper – kinda like unearthing hidden treasures, but not really. The Xbox Series X with the basic 1TB storage? Yep, now it’s at $599.99, which is a whole $100 extra. The fancier Xbox Series X with 2TB and a dashing Galaxy Black paint job (fun name, right?)? That’s $729.99, upped by $130! And don’t get me started on the Series X without the Blu-ray drive – that one also made a $100 leap to $549.99. If you’re more of a Series S fan, brace yourself: the 512GB version jumped by $80, landing at $379.99. And the 1TB? $429.99. Yep. Prices are playing tag, and you’re it.
So, you’d think accessories might escape the price hike frenzy, right? Of course not. The wireless controller’s now at $64.99 and the headset’s shot up to $119.99. I swear, it’s like watching a slow-motion wallet theft. And first-party games, particularly those coming to spoil your holiday spirit, will now greet buyers with a shiny $79.99 tag. Go figure.
It’s not just a local issue. These price jumps are a worldwide party, affecting Australia, Europe, the UK… practically everywhere Xbox lives. Microsoft waves off these increases with the usual suspects: rising costs, trade policy tangles, etc. Makes you wonder if there’s something they aren’t telling us. Moving forward, they say they’re all about new ways to play games on any screen and keeping the Xbox experience “valuable.” Whatever that means…
Oh, but hold your horses, because the Xbox Game Pass isn’t budging in price. Not yet. Microsoft’s holding off, considering they already tweaked prices not long ago. Do they deserve a thank you? Maybe, maybe not.
And one last thing, don’t forget to follow all the tantalizing tidbits from Tom’s Hardware. Seriously, if you’re itching for tech news and reviews, you’re missing out otherwise.
