BREAKING: Global Price Increase for Xbox Products

Microsoft has officially announced this change. Starting today, hardware prices are rising, and by the 2025 holiday season, games will also become more expensive — new first-party Xbox titles will cost $79.99.

The changes will affect all regions where Xbox products are available. Microsoft explains this decision as being driven by rising development costs and shifts in the global market.

We recognize these changes may be challenging for our community. However, this is a necessary step following thorough market analysis and increased production costs. At the same time, we continue expanding cross-platform gaming opportunities and aim to maintain the value of the Xbox ecosystem for our players.

Recent quarterly financial results showed growth in game content revenue but continued decline in console sales. This became another factor influencing the monetization strategy revision.

With this move, Xbox becomes the second major company after Nintendo to adopt new pricing — the Japanese giant previously confirmed that Switch 2 games would also cost $80, setting an industry precedent.

Here are the new prices for Xbox Series consoles in the US:

Xbox accessories have also seen price increases:  

European retailers have also begun adjusting prices. According to Eurogamer, the average increase is about €50. For example, the Xbox Series X now costs €599.99 (was €549.99), while the Xbox Series S 512GB is €349.99 (was €299.99). 

The key question is how this will affect GTA 6's release, expected in late 2025. Given that major publishers have already begun transitioning to higher prices, Take-Two Interactive will likely seize the opportunity to sell the most anticipated project of the decade at a premium.

Clearly, players should prepare for a new pricing standard for next-gen games.

Main image: wallpapercave.com