Microsoft has increased the prices of its Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X consoles in the United Kingdom and Europe, with some models rising by more than 40 per cent. The new prices follow a warning issued in June that worldwide increases would take effect on 1 August.
That earlier announcement included pricing for the United States but did not explain how much customers in other regions would pay. The UK and European figures have now been published, revealing substantially higher increases than many buyers may have expected.
Xbox Series S price increase
The 512GB Xbox Series S now costs €499.99 in Europe or £429.99 in the UK. Those prices replace the previous €349.99 and £299.99 figures, respectively. The new cost is roughly equivalent to US$580.
For shoppers comparing entertainment hardware, this places the compact console in a very different value bracket from many compact bartop arcade machines.
Xbox Series X rises by up to $230
The largest increase applies to the 1TB Xbox Series X with a disc drive. Its price has climbed from €599.99 to €799.99 in Europe, while the UK price has risen from £499.99 to £669.99.
That works out to slightly more than US$900, representing an overall increase of approximately US$230. The figures were highlighted in a ResetEra discussion tracking the regional changes.
Microsoft points to component costs
When Microsoft announced the planned increases in June, it attributed them to what it called the current components crisis. The company said storage and memory prices had increased by more than 2.5 times, with a further doubling expected by autumn 2027.
Microsoft also said the wider consumer-electronics industry was being affected, although the impact was particularly severe for consoles. The company’s explanation did not identify the underlying causes of those component-price increases.
A difficult price comparison for older hardware
There is understandable debate about whether buyers will accept a price approaching US$1,000 for an Xbox Series X model that launched almost six years ago. Microsoft has invested hundreds of billions of dollars in AI data centres, and that spending may be one possible factor in the broader pressure affecting hardware supply and costs. However, that connection remains speculation rather than an explanation confirmed by Microsoft.
For anyone weighing up an alternative home-gaming setup, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide covers the key considerations when choosing dedicated gaming hardware. You can also browse the available arcade machines or read more industry coverage on the Arcade Blog.
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