The affordability of the Microsoft console gaming platforms are taking a huge hit today – not in the sense that prices are going down, but shooting sharply upwards.
In an announcement today Microsoft detailed that basically every essential part of their console experience will see a price increase, including:
- Xbox Consoles
- Controllers
- Headsets
- Many games
The announcement comes alongside a very dry comment that the company “understands that these changes are challenging”, and a lovely set of PDFs that give a breakdown on the affected products in all regions.
For Australia specifically, the price increase document details the following, with no mention of headsets:
| Product | Old Price | New Price |
| Xbox Series S 512GB | $499 AUD | $549 AUD |
| Xbox Series S 1TB | $549 AUD | $599 AUD |
| Xbox Series X Digital | $699 AUD | $749 AUD |
| Xbox Series X | $799 AUD | $849 AUD |
| Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black | $999 AUD | $1,049 AUD |
| Xbox Wireless Controller (Core) | $89.95 AUD | $99.95 AUD |
| Xbox Wireless Controller (Colour) | $94.95 AUD | $104.95 AUD |
| Xbox Wireless Controller Special Edition | $99.95 AUD | $119.95 AUD |
| Xbox Wireless Controller Limited Edition | $109.95 AUD | $129.95 AUD |
| Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 (Core) | $199.95 AUD | $229.95 AUD |
| Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 (Full) | $249.95 AUD | $279.95 AUD |
This pairs nicely with the delightful news that first-party Xbox games will reach $80 USD before the end of the year, so expect some big-name titles to hit the shelf at your local EB Games with a whopping $125 AUD price tag. Just in time for titles such as Gears of War: E-Day, Hideo Kojima’s OD and the new Fable. Wonderful.
Only a few short weeks ago we reported that the PS5 was getting a price rise alongside the surprising news that the Switch 2 was not going to be on the affordable end of things, so it’s more signs of a worrying trend that gaming is turning into a premium leisure experience.
At a time when interactive media serves as a great distraction from the nightmarish hellscape of modern society, it’s great to see that even your hobbies will be suitably impacted.
At least collecting autumn leaves is still free. For now.
Were you in the market for a new Xbox console? Will this impact your decision? Let us know in the comments or on social media.
Known throughout the interwebs simply as M0D3Rn, Ash is bad at video games. An old guard gamer who suffers from being generally opinionated, it comes as no surprise that he is both brutally loyal and yet, fiercely whimsical about all things electronic. On occasion will make a youtube video that actually gets views. Follow him on YouTube @Bad at Video Games
