Microsoft Raises Prices on Xbox Consoles, Controllers, Headsets, and Games Worldwide Due to Market Conditions and Development Costs

Alright, hang on tight, let’s dive into this wild ride of pricing madness from Microsoft—because wow, it’s a lot. So, Thursday, woke up to find out Microsoft decided, “Hey! Let’s up the cost of everything Xbox-ish.” And I mean everything. Consoles, controllers, headsets, games, like, your whole gaming world’s just gotten pricier. The Xbox Series X is now punching your wallet at $599.99—hold up, don’t even get me started on the European prices.

And I gotta rant about this: a new Xbox Series X with 1TB storage is now $100 costlier. Why? Who knows, perhaps “market conditions” as they’ve been saying. But maybe, just maybe, it’s about squeezing every penny they can from us. And then there’s the snazzy Galaxy Black version with 2TB, popping you up to $729.99. Cue the dramatic gasp.

I was just about to blame my next controller splurge on inflation or something when I noticed—yep, controllers too. Ugh, $64.99! And those fancy headsets, now a whopping $119.99. Meanwhile, my brain’s just replaying “expensive, expensive, expensive.”

Prices are hiking not just in the U.S. Hey there, fellow Europeans and Aussies, we’re all in this together! Tax things? Maybe—Microsoft blabs about development costs and trade policies. It’s like, sure, economics, but seriously?

Oh and no price bumps for Xbox Game Pass, for now at least. Woohoo? I mean, they just tweaked those prices last year, and again, not too long ago. Some sort of consolation prize? Ah, who can tell. Anyway—or wait, where was I even going? Oh yeah.

Well, if nothing else, just know these price gaps are broad enough to drive a tank through. Definitely check out Tom’s Hardware if you want, I guess, but this news? Yeah, it hit me straight between the eyes. So hold onto your wallets, folks, the Xbox ride’s getting bumpy!