Gamers, hold onto your wallets - Microsoft has done it again. According to Push Square, Xbox Series X|S consoles are getting yet another round of price increases, with hikes ranging from $100 to $150 depending on the model. Yes, you read that correctly. Another one.
The kicker? Microsoft already raised Xbox prices back in October 2025 - meaning they've essentially speedrun two price increases in under a year. That's the kind of combo that would make even the most patient fighting game player rage-quit their purchase decision.
To be fair (and we hate being fair when we're this annoyed), the broader industry is in rough shape. Push Square points to the ongoing component shortage and the resource-hungry AI boom as the twin final bosses responsible for driving up hardware costs across the board. Sony hasn't exactly been innocent either, having raised PS5 prices multiple times this generation.
But there's a difference between a grudging price bump and what Xbox is pulling off here. Two increases within twelve months feels less like an economic necessity and more like a game developer releasing a half-finished product and charging for the patches. The players - literally - are the ones taking the damage.
With both major console makers now pricing their hardware like luxury items, the budget-conscious gamer is left staring at their savings account like it's a Dark Souls fog gate - terrifying, and with something expensive waiting on the other side.
Whether this finally pushes more players toward PC gaming, cloud subscriptions, or simply dusting off the old PS4/Xbox One collecting shelf-dust in the living room remains to be seen. One thing is certain: at this rate, buying a current-gen console is starting to feel like a microtransaction for your living room.
