This remains in Europe and the US

If you planned to get an Xbox, you may be late at the best price. Microsoft He has just announced a global climb in their consoles and controlsa rates review that, for now, will not affect Xbox Game Passbut that anticipates changes in the price of games First-Park At the end of the year. The announcement arrives at an especially delicate time for the industry, with a commercial war between the United States and China.

From this May 1, the new prices are already active in Europe. The Xbox Series S of 512 GB It goes from costing 299.99 euros to 349.99 euros, an increase of 16.67 % compared to the price that maintained since its launch in 2020. It is a considerable rise for a console that stood out precisely for its low cost of entry. The model with 1 TB of storage It is also more expensive: 349.99 euros passes to 399.99 euros. The Xbox Series X Digital now costs 549.99 euros, while The version with record reader It is 599.99 euros. Finally, the special edition Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black It reaches 699.99 euros, consolidating as the most expensive console of the current Microsoft catalog.

The controls do not get rid of this upward revision. The Xbox Wireless Controller (Core), in its basic version, will be sold for 64.99 euros, while the color model amounts to 69.99 euros. Those who seek a more advanced option must prepare the portfolio: the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Full) reaches 199.99 euros. As for official headphones, Microsoft has confirmed that price changes, for the moment, only affect United States and Canada. In the lower table of the article you can consult all the prices updated both in euros and in dollars.

In addition to the consoles and accessories, Microsoft has also advanced that some games will see their price for the Christmas campaign increased. In the US, the price will go from $ 69.99 to $ 79.99. It is another sign that the cost of the great titles follows an ascending trajectory. The case reminds future releases of Nintendo Switch 2, that will reach the market with higher prices than usual In some cases. What is kept without changes, at least for now, are Xbox Game Pass rates.

From Redmond they say that “these changes are challenging and have been taken after careful market evaluation and the growing cost of development.” Although the company has not directly mentioned tariffs, the context is difficult to ignore: the commercial escalation between the US and China is already causing tensions in international prices and it is likely that this is not the last adjustment we see in the industry.

The striking thing is that Microsoft is not the only company that has chosen to raise prices. Sony also increased last month the cost of its PlayStation 5 console in Europeincluding the United Kingdom, applying a 10% rise in the digital edition. The new PS5 digital costs 499.99 euros, 50 euros more than it cost so far, matching the standard PS5 price in its launch.

In the midst of these oscillations, there is a curious fact: the PS5 external record reader has dropped in price. It goes from costing 119.99 euros to 79.99 euros, which partially compensates for the increase if acquired together with the digital version. The standard PS5 with Blu-ray unit remains at 549.99 euros, and the PlayStation 5 Pro retains its price of 799.99 euros. It is not the first time that the Sony console rises in price. In August 2022, the digital edition has already gone from 399.99 euros to 449.99 euros, and the standard version rose from 499.99 euros to the current 549.99 euros.

Images | Billy Freeman | Jaime Marrero

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