The prices of both the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S are set to rise in the United States, with Microsoft blaming "the changing macroeconomic environment" for the price hikes. In other words, Xbox is blaming the ongoing tariffs for the price increases.
The Xbox Series S will increase from $379.99 to $399.99, while the 1TB version will go from $429.99 to $449.99. The all-digital Series X will increase from $549.99 to $599.99, while the version of the console with a disc drive will go from $599.99 to $649.99.
Ex-Blizzard president Mike Ybarra is critical of these price increases, saying that Microsoft is using tariffs as an "excuse" to try and squeeze more profit from Xbox. Ybarra had described the first price increase as "justified," given the sudden implementation of tariffs, but he believes this new price increase is more cynical.
"Console price increases are not tariff issues, they are profit issues," his post reads. "And the reason why profits are not where they should be is a far, far deeper issue versus the tariff excuse."
He later added, "Tariffs went up once, so that does justify the single price increase. An excuse to continue...
