TL;DR: The entry-level Xbox Series S console with 512GB of storage will rise from $399 to $499, while the 1TB model will go from $449 to $599. Meanwhile, the price of the digital-only 1TB Xbox Series X will increase from $599 to $749, the standard disc-drive model jumps from $649 to $799, and the 2TB variant will be discontinued.
Mere days after reports of mass layoffs at Microsoft-owned game development studios, things have gone from bad to worse for Xbox. In a few weeks, the company's game consoles will receive their highest-ever price increases, marking the third round in barely over a year.
The last two price hikes, both occurring in 2025, made the Xbox Series S and X between $20 and $130 more expensive. Microsoft blamed tariffs and inflation back then, but rising memory costs – partly caused by Microsoft – have now prompted the company to raise the price of the 512GB Series S by $100 and all 1TB consoles by $150. The cheapest Series S model now carries the same price that the standard Series X launched with in 2020.
To further highlight how distorted the console market has become, Microsoft is also expanding the conditions under which shoppers can purchase an Xbox through short-term, interest-free installments. The company is also working with Amazon to offer 0% APR financing on the consoles for up to 12 months and striving to increase the availability of refurbished units, which are currently up to $100 off.
