Xbox fans are furious about “laughable” global price hikes

Microsoft has confirmed Xbox Series X/S consoles, first-party games and accessories will all become more expensive – and fans are furious about these “laughable” price hikes.

• READ MORE: Has gaming outpriced the average player?

Earlier this week, Microsoft announced that sales of the Xbox Series X and S consoles were down six per cent but yesterday (May 1) it announced a global price increase.

In the UK, the basic 512gb Xbox Series S has become £50 more expensive and will now cost £299.99 while the more powerful 2tb Xbox Series X has gotten a £40 price increase – it will now set you back £589.99.

It’s worse in America where the Xbox Series X now costs $729.99, which is more than the controversial PS5 Pro which launched at the end of last year and saw Sony heavily criticised for charging $699.99 for an upgraded version of a console that originally launched in 2020.

Microsoft, you're supposed to lower Xbox prices when it doesn't sell well, not raise them! pic.twitter.com/OK6bz6XxWE

— NikTek (@NikTekOfficial) May 1, 2025

It’s not just Xbox consoles that have gotten more expensive. Controllers, headsets and other accessories have also been affected by the new pricing strategy. Check out the full list here.

“We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development,” Microsoft explained in a statement. “Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players.” It comes after Donald Trump introduced huge import tariffs that experts warned would “hurt” the video game sector.

Microsoft went on to confirm that for the time being, “game prices will stay the same” but the company “expects to adjust the pricing of some of our new, first-party games starting this holiday season to $79.99.”

$80 games are now officially a reality for Xbox.

Nintendo is completely at fault, PlayStation is obviously next with this price hike and $80 is about to be the new standard.

Depressing to see how much of a luxury gaming is becoming with the constant price hikes pic.twitter.com/FsZb5ReEM1

— Synth Potato (@SynthPotato) May 1, 2025

“This will be the first console generation where those of us who bought our machines early got the best bargains,” one fan wrote on Reddit. “Good luck selling them. I love my Series X but the market has spoken. I don’t think raising the price when people are struggling is going to result in a more successful product. Especially when there is a mid gen upgrade on the market from the competitor,” added another.

“We’re watching gaming go from being largely accessible to a luxury experience,” said one fan. Those are HUGE increases. It’s fucking laughable,” added another. “This is the generation where corporate greed killed gaming. We had a good run,” wrote a third.

Last month, Nintendo confirmed the Switch 2 would cost gamers £395.99 while its new “variable” pricing strategy means games such as Mario Kart World will set you back £75.99.

Despite backlash over the price, Switch 2 pre-orders are still selling out across the country.

In other news, viral mobile game Flappy Bird is available to play for the first time in ten years and developers have promised it will “never” feature controversial Web3 elements.

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