Xbox must once again raise the prices of its consoles. This creates apocalyptic feelings among many fans, especially regarding the future, including at MeinMMO editor Jasmin Beverungen.
Why were the prices raised? According to a blog post on Xbox Wire, the prices for storage and RAM in production have increased by more than 2.5 times. The company also expects another doubling of production costs by fall 2027.
Although consoles are generally sold below production costs to attract customers into the ecosystem, Microsoft felt compelled to take this massive step due to rising costs.
How expensive will the console be? These price increases are set to take effect from August 1, 2026:
- Xbox Series S (512 GB): increase from $350 to $450
- Xbox Series S (1 TB): increase from $400 to $550
- Xbox Series X (1 TB without drive): increase from $550 to $700
- Xbox Series X (1 TB with drive): increase from $600 to $750
Similar jumps in Europe are expected, however, within the range of €100 to €150. Such price jumps have indeed been passed on nearly one-to-one in other currencies in the past, as in 2023.
Fans are worried about the future of gaming
What are the implications? This news concerns many players. On Reddit, for example, there are many comments stating that an average person may not be able to afford gaming at all if prices continue to rise.
For me, it will also mean that I will stick with my PC, which I built a year ago, for now. Fortunately, prices were still acceptable back then, and I will have some years left with my PC.
When it comes to consoles, however, I see it a bit gloomier. I have already refrained from getting the Switch 2, for a similar reason as MeinMMO editor Karsten. Therefore, I currently only have my PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, both of which I bought at launch.
As for the Xbox Series, which I have always kept an eye on, I will probably also do without it in the future. Fortunately, Microsoft releases all games for both Xbox and PC. So I will make do with a controller on PC.
The fact that Xbox has said that the prices for storage will likely double by 2027 also leaves me feeling negative.
What do you think about the new prices? Do you already have an Xbox and are you happy about the increase in value, or is it completely out of the race for you?
A few months ago, Sony was already hit. The manufacturer of the PlayStation consoles also had to raise prices. Here too, the question arises of who can still afford the new console prices. You can find all the information here: From tomorrow, the PS5 will cost 100 euros more; who should still grab it now?
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