London, UK – Microsoft has officially announced significant price increases across its Xbox product line, impacting consoles, accessories, and, later this year, first-party video game titles. The company cited “market conditions and the rising cost of development” as primary reasons for the adjustments.

Effective immediately, the price hike affects all Xbox Series consoles globally. Notably, the Xbox Series S (512GB) now retails at $379.99, up from $299.99, while the Xbox Series X (Standard Edition) rises to $599.99 from its previous $499.99. The limited Galaxy Special Edition of the Series X now costs $729.99, marking a considerable $130 increase.

In terms of accessories, wireless controllers will see price revisions ranging from $64.99 to $89.99 depending on the model. The Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Full Package) increases to $199.99 from $179.99. Meanwhile, U.S. and Canadian customers will also face higher prices on Xbox headsets, with the Wireless Headset now priced at $119.99, up from $109.99.

Although game prices remain unchanged for now, Microsoft confirmed that by the 2025 holiday season, new first-party titles will be priced at $79.99. This move aligns Xbox with broader industry trends, following similar price strategies adopted by both PlayStation and Nintendo.

In an official statement Microsoft said: “We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development. Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players.”

Upcoming first-party titles expected to adopt the $79.99 pricing include Call of Duty 2025, Fable, Perfect Dark, Clockwork Revolution, Everwild, Gears of War: E-Day, OD (by Hideo Kojima), and State of Decay 3. Fans may receive additional details during Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox Games Showcase and The Outer Worlds 2 Direct event in June.

This marks the first price increase for the Xbox Series S since its 2020 launch. Microsoft had previously refrained from raising U.S. prices during earlier global adjustments in 2023, even as competitors such as Sony introduced multiple regional increases on PlayStation 5 hardware.

As economic pressures continue to impact manufacturing and development costs across the gaming sector, analysts expect further pricing recalibrations to remain a possibility industry-wide.