Microsoft has recently announced a price increase for Xbox consoles, controllers, and upcoming games. The new recommended retail prices for hardware are effective immediately, whereas the price for new first-party games will rise to $79.99 starting this holiday season. If you're considering purchasing an Xbox Series X|S or a new controller, now might be the best time to act. The updated prices are now reflected on Xbox's official store, but some retailers might still offer the original prices for a limited time.
Xbox Series X
Xbox Series X - 1TB
Xbox Series X - $499 (Increasing to $599 Soon)
Get it at Amazon, GameStop, Walmart (third-party seller)
Xbox Series X 1TB Digital Edition - $449 (Increasing to $549 Soon)
Get it at Amazon, GameStop, Target, Walmart (third-party seller)
The Xbox Series X is Microsoft's flagship console, boasting the power to run games at 4K resolution. As an avid gamer, I find it surpasses even my PS5 in performance. If you prefer physical copies of games, the standard model is the way to go. However, if you're comfortable with an all-digital library, the Digital Edition offers a $50 saving.
Xbox Series S
Xbox Series S - 512GB
Xbox Series S 512GB - $299 (Increasing to $379 Soon)
Get it at Amazon, GameStop, Target, Walmart
Xbox Series S 1TB - $349 (Increasing to $429 Soon)
Get it at Amazon, GameStop, Target, Walmart
For gamers who are ready to go all-digital, the Xbox Series S is an excellent choice. However, it has less raw power than the Series X, designed to run games at 1440p rather than 4K. If this resolution suits your needs, the Series S is a fantastic option. It's available in 512GB and 1TB models. Given the large size of modern games, I recommend opting for the 1TB version to avoid running out of storage space quickly.
Xbox Wireless Controllers
Out August 13: Xbox Wireless Controller – Sky Cipher Special Edition
Xbox Wireless Controller – Sky Cipher Special Edition - $60.96 (Was $79.99)
Get it at Amazon
Alongside consoles, some Xbox controllers are also seeing price increases. However, not all controllers are affected equally, and some prices remain unchanged. The pricing for controllers tends to fluctuate more than for consoles, so the impact of these changes may be less noticeable. Here are the new prices for Xbox controllers:
- Xbox Wireless Controller (Core) - $64.99
- Xbox Wireless Controller (Color) - $69.99
- Xbox Wireless Controller - Special Edition - $79.99
- Xbox Wireless Controller - Limited Edition - $89.99 (up from $79.99)
- Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Core) - $149.99 (up from $139.99)
- Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Full) - $199.99 (up from $179.99)
