Microsoft just made gaming more expensive, and there’s no sugarcoating it. Starting May 1, there’s going to be a price hike across the board for Xbox consoles, controllers, headsets, and later this year, even games. If you were planning to grab a Series X or a new controller, you’re now looking at spending a lot more than you would’ve just a week ago.
The standard Xbox Series X is now priced at $599.99, up from $499.99. The digital-only version jumps to $549.99. The 512GB Series S goes from $299.99 to $379.99, and the 1TB version climbs to $429.99. There’s also a new Galaxy Special Edition 2TB Series X coming in at a whopping $729.99.
Controllers are also affected. A regular Xbox wireless controller now starts at $64.99, with colored ones at $69.99 and special editions going up to $89.99. The Elite Series 2 controller has been bumped to $199.99. Even headsets didn’t escape, with the wireless headset now costing $119.99 in the U.S. and Canada.
And it doesn’t stop there. Microsoft confirmed that first-party games will hit $79.99 starting this holiday season. That means if you’re eyeing big upcoming titles like the next Call of Duty, Fable, or Perfect Dark, they’re probably going to cost you eighty bucks each. No exact list of $80 games yet, but you can safely assume most of the high-profile releases from Xbox Game Studios will be included.
So why is all this happening now? Microsoft says it’s because of rising development costs and current market conditions. They claim the changes were made with “careful consideration” and that they’re still focused on delivering value. Whether that feels true depends on how much you’re willing to spend on gaming in 2025.
This is the first time the Series S has seen a price hike since launch, and it follows a global Series X price bump in 2023 (which didn’t affect U.S. buyers at the time). With Sony and Nintendo also nudging prices upward lately, Microsoft’s move isn’t surprising, but it stings all the same.
Between tariffs, inflation, and the cost of building blockbuster games, it’s just a pricey time to be a gamer. And this might just be the beginning. Expect more announcements at the Xbox Games Showcase this June, where we’ll likely get a closer look at what those $80 titles are going to be.
If you’re on the fence about upgrading your console or picking up a new game, you might want to make that move now. Because from here on out, it looks like the $80 game is the new normal.
