Microsoft has raised the price of its Xbox consoles by more than a third across Europe, triggering an outcry from fans stunned by the new costs for both the Series X and Series S. The increases had been telegraphed since June, but the exact euro and pound figures remained secret until now. In the UK, the 512GB Xbox Series S has leapt from £299 to £429 — a £130 jump — while the 1TB variant is up from £349 to £519, a staggering £170 addition. The real shock comes with the Series X models. The 1TB digital edition has climbed from £449 to £619, but the disc-drive equipped 1TB Series X now sits at £669, a 48% surge that adds £220 to the launch price. One gaming forum user called the decision the “final nail in the coffin,” while another said there was “no way” they would pay nearly £700 for a console in 2026. That frustration is echoed across mainland Europe, where the Series S 1TB now costs €100 more than the Series X did at launch. “Still trying to process how a console that was sold for €499 almost six years ago is now €799,” one fan wrote. Meanwhile, US buyers are also facing hikes: the 512GB Series S moves to $499.99, the 1TB version $599.99, and the Series X digital and disc models are priced at $749.99 and $799.99 respectively. The 2TB model is being discontinued completely, apparently because the cost would have become too steep to manufacture. The unusually aggressive pricing has led to widespread criticism online, with many observers questioning how Microsoft expects to drive adoption with such hefty premiums, especially as the company leans heavily on its Game Pass subscription service rather than console hardware margins.
热门跟贴