Xbox Series Prices Surge up to €200 in Europe as Microsoft Refuses to Bankroll the Troubled Division

Key Points:

• Microsoft announced price increases for Xbox Series S and X consoles starting August 1, 2026, due to ongoing memory and storage component shortages, with European and UK price hikes revealed only as they took effect.
• European prices for Xbox Series consoles have risen by up to €200, and UK prices by up to £170, pushing the Xbox Series S close to or above traditional premium console price points, while Xbox Series X prices exceed their original launch costs.
• The price increases in Europe and the UK are steeper in local currency terms compared to the US hikes of $100 for 512GB and $150 for 1TB models, reflecting regional market differences.
• Sony has also raised PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro prices amid the component crisis, but its consoles continue to outsell Xbox significantly, with over 95 million PS5 units shipped versus an estimated 35 million Xbox consoles sold.
• Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella emphasized the need for Xbox to become financially sustainable after 25 years of investment, aiming for growth in the next fiscal year and a target of half a billion daily players by 2030, despite the risk that higher prices may deter potential buyers ahead of major game releases like Grand Theft Auto VI.