Okay, here we go. So, Microsoft just threw everyone a curveball. I mean, price hikes for Xbox stuff, who saw it coming? Well, besides everyone grumbling about “market conditions” and all that fun stuff. Anyway, they’ve bumped up the price tags on the Xbox Series S and X, controllers, headsets… even first-party games. These price jumps are supposed to start on May 1. And get this—you’ve got Xbox Series X at $599.99. Yeah, the sticker shock is real.
Microsoft’s statement went something like: “Worldwide adjustments, yadda yadda, $79.99 for new games this holiday,” like it’s all sunshine and rainbows. The Xbox Series X now costs a cool $599.99… Oh wait, there’s more! If you’re splurging on the fancy Galaxy Black version with a 2TB SSD, brace yourself—it’s $729.99! Without the Blu-ray drive? It’s still a hundred bucks more than before.
And what’s this about the Series S? A $80 bump! Who even decided these numbers? Oh, and controllers—those plastic clicky things—now go for $64.99. Wireless headsets? $119.99, perfect for blasting your eardrums, I guess. Games are next up on the chopping block. Why not join Nintendo’s pricing party? Who doesn’t love “Mario Kart” as the standard?
I get it, times are changing. Tariffs and trade stuff, right? Australia, Europe, and the UK aren’t safe either. Microsoft claims they’ve thought this through: market shifts, development costs skyrocketing, basically the world’s on fire or something. All to supposedly offer us more ways to play? Sure, thanks.
Oddly enough, the Xbox Game Pass stays at the same old price, like it’s laughing in the corner while everything else skyrockets. Maybe because Microsoft upped it earlier? My memory’s fuzzy, but sometime in 2024 and again in June 2023. A constant rollercoaster ride, huh?
Anyway, if you’re still interested, keep an eye on those prices. And hey, if you want to stay in the Microsoft loop, hit up Tom’s Hardware on Google News. Seems like they love the follow button. Go figure.
