Feature: Xbox Series X|S: How Their Prices Have Changed Over The Past Five Years
By It’s commonly known that whenever a console generation kicks off and a new selection of systems are unveiled to the public, you can often save a little cash by delaying your purchase — wait until there’s an offer you simply cannot refuse.
This phenomenon has occurred on occasion throughout the Xbox Series X, Series S and PS5 era, but more recently we’ve observed prices actually rising in comparison to their launch five years ago, leading to a scenario where they might be seen as a poorer value than ever right now.
Let’s reflect on the journey and examine what transpired, shall we? Here’s a brief summary of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S and how their prices have evolved over the last five years:
The Xbox Series S and X debuted at a cost of £249 / $299 and £449 / $499 respectively on November 10th, 2020. In the initial years of their release, the issue wasn’t the pricing but rather securing sufficient stock to obtain one — particularly true for the X, which frequently appeared to be out of stock.
It was a challenging period for the entire globe, of course — both consoles launched amid the COVID-19 pandemic — so it was hardly unexpected that inventory was scarce. This scenario allowed scalpers to benefit significantly, and even establishments like CEX in the UK were reselling next-gen consoles at prices far exceeding their RRP.
As the stock shortages eased and the world gradually started to turn towards normality, those anticipated price reductions finally began to emerge. We reported on various price reductions back in 2022 where the Xbox Series X would drop to $449 and the Series S as low as $199, and similar prices appeared during Black Friday in 2023 as well.
Microsoft even officially lowered the price of the Xbox Series X to $399 for Christmas 2023:
It was only after this that real changes began to occur. Xbox had initially stated in 2022 that it would not adopt a price increase following Sony’s decision for the PS5, but by 2023, the situation had shifted, and the prices of one or both consoles eventually escalated in various countries. In June, the price of the Xbox Series X had climbed to £479 in the UK and €549 throughout much of Europe.
The aforementioned Black Friday price reductions did not seem to make it feel that significant, however – it was only in May of this year that we all started to feel the financial strain. Following Sony’s announcement of additional console price increases in April, Microsoft followed shortly after, disclosing that the Xbox Series X was set to rise in numerous countries, with a $100 hike to $599 in the US. The Xbox Series S also increased to $379 at the same time.
And then, back in September, both consoles escalated yet again in the US specifically, reaching a staggering $649 and $399. That’s $150 more than the launch price for the Series X, and $100 more for the Xbox Series S. Absurd!
Of course, Microsoft isn’t the sole entity that has enacted price hikes in recent years – as noted, Sony has been doing it frequently with the PS5 as well. It seems their options are limited in certain aspects, and let’s not overlook how the strategy has transformed in recent years from a focus on consoles to a broader range of newly-named “Xbox” devices.
This puts late adopters in quite a challenging position, however. With no indications of the Xbox Series X and S officially reducing in price, and Black Friday seemingly unlikely to offer significant discounts, it might be difficult to rationalize spending that much on a five-year-old console. The next generation of Xbox is on the horizon, but with products like the Steam Machine launching before then, there’s a chance for Valve to present a competitive alternative and reshape the market as we know it.
What a wild generation it has been for console pricing, huh?
What are your thoughts regarding Xbox Series X|S prices these days? Share your opinions in the comments section below.