Xbox consoles see price hike amid 'market conditions'
The ripple effects of the Trump administration's tariffs on foreign goods, particularly tech, have come for parts of the gaming market.
Microsoft raised the U.S. and Canada prices of its Xbox consoles, controllers and other accessories Thursday, citing "market conditions and the rising cost of development."
The cheapest model available, the Xbox Series S, is now $379.99, an $80 jump, or 28% increase, from its previous price. The most expensive model, the Xbox Series X, saw a $100 jump or 20% increase, and now costs $599.99.
"We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development. Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players," Microsoft said on its support page.
"Xbox Series S and X availability may continue to change over time depending on the retailer and by country," it added.
The support page did not directly mention the tariffs hitting countries such as China which manufacture the chips and other components for the systems, however, economic experts have warned that tech products would likely see high increases.
Prices for official Xbox controllers have also been affected as the first-party gamepads, which typically retail for $59.99, will cost $5 more.
Microsoft, however, noted that prices for some of its controllers, such as the Adaptive Controller and Adaptive Joystick for disabled players, will not change.
Xbox players who already have a console won't be able to escape the hikes if they're looking to pick up the latest titles this holiday season.
Microsoft said that its first-party games sold during that time will see a $10 increase and retail for $79. No specific date for the pricing change has been released.
Microsoft's move comes weeks after Nintendo announced it was keeping the U.S. price of its upcoming Switch 2 system at $449.99, but was raising the price on controllers and additional accessories.
Nintendo warned consumers that its prices could change "depending on market conditions."
