Microsoft hikes Xbox console prices in US again amid tariff pressures

Microsoft will raise recommended retail prices for Xbox Series X and Series S consoles in the United States on October 3, citing changes in the macroeconomic environment and ongoing tariff challenges.

Microsoft announced its second price increase for current-generation Xbox hardware this year, attributing the move to “changes in the macroeconomic environment,” widely interpreted as the impact of elevated tariffs on imported components.

The new U.S. prices for Xbox Series consoles will be:

• Xbox Series S (512 GB): $399.99 (up $20 from $379.99)
• Xbox Series S (1 TB): $449.99 (up $20 from $429.99)
• Xbox Series X Digital Edition: $599.99 (up $50 from $549.99)
• Xbox Series X (disc edition): $649.99 (up $50 from $599.99)
• Xbox Series X 2 TB Galaxy Black Special Edition: $799.99 (up $70 from $729.99)

This adjustment follows a global price hike in May that also affected accessories and games, although the October increase applies only to U.S. console prices. Microsoft emphasized that prices for controllers, headsets, and markets outside the U.S. will remain unchanged.

Industry analysts warn that successive price bumps may dampen consumer demand as gamers contend with rising hardware costs and broader inflationary pressures. Sony and Nintendo have also recently raised console prices in the U.S., mirroring a wider trend among gaming hardware manufacturers grappling with supply-chain and tariff-related cost increases.