Games will become more expensive – at least for Xbox fans. As effective today on May 1, Microsoft is increasing the price of Xbox consoles and controllers instead of trivial quantities:
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The Xbox Series S 512GB is now $380, a 25% increase over $300.
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The Xbox Series X 1TB figure is now $550, a 22% increase over $450.
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The Xbox Series S 1TB is now $430, a 22% increase from $350).
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The Xbox Series X 1TB with Blu-ray is now $600, a 20% increase over $500.
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The Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition is now $730, a 22% increase over $600.
The news is not over. Now, the controller and headphones start at $65, while the “full” Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 costs $200. The price of the game will also rise, though not immediately: “The price of some of our new, first-party games will start this holiday at $79.99,” Microsoft explained. The last one seems to be more about the price of the ambitious Switch 2 game that leans towards Nintendo, and less than any possible tariff impact (though it is worth noting that Xbox prices are rising globally, not just in the U.S.)
But not everyone is negative, as if you are buying new consoles in the market, online retailers are not catching up. Keep some key warnings in mind here before dialing out your credit card. The current Xbox platform is actually five years old, and the leaked mid-term “Brooklin” refresh seems to have been cancelled. The all-new Xbox generation is expected to arrive in the next few years (perhaps 2028), with leaks suggesting it could be a “cloud hybrid” machine. More and more Xbox exclusive products are also starting to pop up on the PS5. That said, if you’ve been waiting to buy an Xbox, it’s time now, as these legacy prices may disappear in any minute.
The best Xbox deals
Walmart
Given the announcement of the console now starting at $380, snapping up a ticket for $274 seems like a screaming deal with savings of more than $100. Just make sure 512GB is enough for your gaming needs before clicking “Buy”. (The expandable storage module is there, but it’s not cheap.)
Walmart $274
Walmart
About how much storage fence you need? Take it from someone who made (and paid) this mistake in the past: get bigger. Especially when the console is at this price. The new MSRP is $430.
Walmart $347
Amazon
Even though I knew I would see this day, for some reason, seeing a console for $500+ was just injured. Fortunately, at least for the time being, a 1TB digital model can still be found at that price point, as MSRP has just increased to $550.
$448 on Amazon
Amazon
Yesterday was not a deal at all. Today, the new MSRP is $100. If you still want to play disc-based games and movies, snap up this model with price pre-sale.
$440 on Amazon
Amazon
Whether the price rises or not, this is a reasonable deal for the legal great controller. Don’t like the all-white look? See more colorful options below.
Walmart $45
Walmart
Sure, you paid $5 for the color controller, but I think it’s worth it, especially if you use it every day. The $50 for the wireless controller is a good deal even without adding MSRP.
Walmart $50
Walmart
If you use the controller every day, it’s worth the price to upgrade more than it deserves. The new retail price is $150, so the 33% discount you get is $49.
Walmart $101
