Xbox Series Consoles Are Getting a Massive Global Price Hike This August

Buying a new Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S is about to become significantly more expensive. Microsoft has officially announced a worldwide price increase for its current-generation consoles, with the new pricing taking effect on August 1, 2026. Depending on the model, gamers will have to pay $100 to $150 more, marking one of the largest hardware price hikes in Xbox history.

According to Microsoft, the price adjustment is being driven by soaring costs for memory and storage components. The company revealed that prices for these key parts have increased by more than 2.5 times and are expected to rise even further over the next year. Because gaming consoles are typically sold with very small profit margins—or even at a loss—Xbox says the rising manufacturing costs have made another price increase unavoidable.

Starting in August, the Xbox Series S 512GB will cost $499.99, while the 1TB Series S jumps to $599.99. The Xbox Series X Digital (1TB) will retail for $749.99, and the standard Xbox Series X (1TB) with a disc drive will increase to $799.99. Microsoft has also confirmed that the 2TB Xbox Series X will be discontinued, removing the highest-capacity model from the lineup.

The announcement continues a broader trend of rising gaming hardware prices across the industry. Both Sony and Nintendo have introduced price increases for their consoles in recent years, while publishers have also begun adopting the new $80 AAA game standard. For players considering an Xbox purchase, buying before August 1 could result in significant savings. Despite the higher prices, Microsoft says it remains committed to expanding the Xbox ecosystem through Game Pass, cloud gaming, and future hardware innovations.