Microsoft is increasing the price of every model of its current Xbox game consoles in the United States, a second bump this year that only adds to pressure on value-conscious gamers. The company confirmed the change on a support page and framed it as a response to changing macroeconomic conditions.
New United States Xbox console prices and increases
The Series X now goes for $649.99, up $50. The Series X Digital jumps to $599.99, also up $50. The less pricey Series S goes up $20 across the configs: to $399.99 for 512GB and $449.99 for the 1TB variant. The limited 2TB Galaxy Black Series X creeps up to $799, representing a bump of around $70. Microsoft says controllers and headsets are not impacted.
- Series X: $649.99 (+$50)
- Series X Digital: $599.99 (+$50)
- Series S 512GB: $399.99 (+$20)
- Series S 1TB: $449.99 (+$20)
- Limited 2TB Galaxy Black Series X: $799 (about +$70)
- Controllers and headsets: no price changes
Those adjustments follow a number of price increases earlier this year, marking a major shift in console MSRPs deep into the generation.
The practical effect for buyers is simple enough: upwards—or sideways, really—into the Xbox ecosystem over time (barring retailer deals or extras bundling).
Why the Xbox price hike is limited to the United States
Microsoft’s explanation is that sales of PCs to businesses and governments are being hit by broad “macroeconomic” factors, but the regional breakdown tells a sharper story. Video game hardware from large manufacturing hubs could face Section 301 tariffs. The U.S. currently levies such tariffs on game consoles. Pain points? Consoles coming in from China are looking at taxes of around 30%, and those from Vietnam, another 20%—material headwinds for anybody still tethered to those supply chains.
These levies pile on top of inflated logistics costs and currency gyrations, eating into margins for hardware that, even in the best of times, has historically run thin. When increases are seen in a single market alone, we typically interpret it as policy overhead—not components and not just global freight—the suspect.
How rival console makers are responding in the U.S.
Sony recently increased the price of the PlayStation 5 in the U.S., a sign that there was industry-wide pressure long before Microsoft made its most recent change.
Nintendo, in contrast, has managed to keep its new-generation hardware clear of the crosshairs, though it has nudged prices on older Switch models. Some analysts warn that the console field could become even more homogeneous if tariffs remain where they are.
In other words, this is less about a unique, ridiculous Xbox story than a U.S. console market one. With tariffs at the border, platform holders are caught between taking the hit and passing on costs—which seems more inevitable now than ever.
What the new Xbox prices mean for U.S. buyers right now
If you were already in the market for an Xbox, check major retailers for remaining stock at pre-MSRP prices because not every store changes its inventory the same day. Look out for seasonal bundles that come with a few games or Game Pass months to offset the burn. Microsoft’s All Access program, offered where you can find a console, would spread that higher sticker price across monthly payments as well.
The picture is a little sunnier on the accessory side: Microsoft states that it is holding pricing steady for controllers and its headset. Refurbished consoles by reputable sellers, as well as certified pre-owned units, can net you a substantial discount, but warranty terms and return policies are more important than ever in a more expensive ecosystem.
The bigger Xbox strategy and what it signals now
Publicly, Microsoft is hyping “more ways to play across any screen,” a reference to cloud streaming, PC, and a broader services-first angle. That approach can mitigate hardware limitations by driving engagement via Game Pass, day-one first-party releases, and cross-platform publishing. But consoles still anchor many players’ living room entertainment, and raising the price ceiling late in a cycle has introduced some friction at the precise time competition gets heated for the holidays.
Yet the calculus is logical from a balance-sheet point of view. With tariffs acting as the floor on costs, any companies that didn’t adjust MSRPs would be adopting slim, if not negative, margins on boxes. The new pricing move upholds Xbox in a market that is being molded as much by policy as by silicon and will test how flexible American consumers are when it comes to platform loyalty and perceived value.
Bottom line: Microsoft’s price pivot on Xbox is part of a larger trend. The trade war may have priced a reboot of the U.S. console landscape, with consequences that are hitting right on the shelf price.