Microsoft announces yet another price increase for Xbox Series X/S consoles in the US

Microsoft has announced that the recommended retail price of its Xbox Series X and S consoles has been raised for the second time in five months within the US.

The details:

• As spotted by IGN, Xbox has shared a pricing update via its official support site, stating that the standard retail price of all current-generation consoles has been raised “due to changes in the macroeconomic environment." “We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration,” the statement reads. “Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and providing value for Xbox players.”
• The standard Xbox Series X and the Digital Edition of the console will now retail for $50 more than before, bringing their current prices to $599.99 and $549.99, respectively. Meanwhile, the 512GB and 1TB models of the cheaper Series S will see smaller $20 increases, with the 2TB Galaxy Black Series X receiving a $70 increase, bringing it up to a whopping $799.99.
• This is the second time in five months that the price of Xbox Series systems has seen an increase in the US. Back in May, the Series X and S saw their retail prices raised by $100 and $80, respectively, with Microsoft claiming that the changes were “challenging” and prompted by “market conditions and the rising cost of development.”
• Last month, rival PlayStation announced that the price of PS5 consoles would see an increase in the US after the region dodged several raises since the console’s 2020 launch. Sony provided a similar reason to Microsoft for the increases, which saw the recommended cost of the PS5 Pro jump up to $749.99.