Gaming
Microsoft raises Xbox prices across Europe and the UK
Xbox Series S and X consoles become up to €200 and £170 costlier as component crunch pushes prices higher
MUMBAI: Looks like levelling up your gaming setup now comes with a tougher boss fight your wallet. Microsoft has rolled out steep price increases for Xbox Series S and Series X consoles across Europe and the UK, with some models becoming as much as €200 and £170 more expensive as the company grapples with rising memory and storage component costs.
The revised prices took effect on August 1, weeks after Microsoft announced a global price increase on June 25 but stopped short of revealing what European customers would pay. Those figures are now official, and they represent some of the sharpest regional hikes in the current console generation.
In Europe, the Xbox Series S 512GB now costs €499.99, up from €349.99, while the 1TB model has climbed from €399.99 to €599.99. The Xbox Series X Digital 1TB now retails at €749.99, compared with €549.99 previously, and the disc-equipped Xbox Series X 1TB has risen from €599.99 to €799.99. All but the entry-level Series S have become €200 more expensive.
The UK has seen similar increases. The Xbox Series S 512GB has risen by £130 to £429.99, while the 1TB version, Xbox Series X Digital 1TB and the disc-equipped Xbox Series X 1TB have each increased by £170, taking their prices to £519.99, £619.99 and £669.99, respectively.
The increases broadly mirror Microsoft’s previously announced global adjustments of $100 for 512GB models and $150 for 1TB variants, although the effective hikes in Europe and the UK are considerably steeper in local currency terms.
The move also comes as rival Sony continues to adjust pricing for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro amid the same component supply pressures. However, the competitive backdrop is markedly different. Sony has shipped more than 95 million PS5 consoles, while industry estimates place Xbox hardware sales at around 35 million units, as Microsoft no longer discloses console shipment figures.
The timing is particularly significant with Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI expected to drive a fresh wave of console purchases. Some analysts had speculated Microsoft could absorb higher costs to attract price-sensitive buyers ahead of the blockbuster launch. Instead, the company has chosen to prioritise profitability.
That approach aligns with Microsoft’s broader strategy. Chief executive Satya Nadella has said Xbox must become a sustainable business after more than 25 years of investment, while Xbox chief executive Asha Sharma has outlined an ambitious target of reaching 500 million daily players by 2030.
Whether gamers are willing to pay considerably more for Xbox hardware in an increasingly competitive console market is a question that may prove just as challenging as any final boss.
