Microsoft is raising prices on its Xbox consoles, games, and accessories, marking a potential turning point after decades of deflation in the gaming industry—even as development costs have continued to rise. The move underscores mounting pressure on developers and publishers to restore margins, while new optimism for the industry builds ahead of this fall’s release of the guaranteed mega-hit Grand Theft Auto 6.
The technology news website Engadget reports that Xbox consoles and games will see price hikes this year. This means Xbox Series S will start at $380, up from the previous price of $300. The Series X console will be priced at $550, a $100 increase.
For Xbox video games, the average price for AAA-rated games is expected to rise to $80.
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