Xbox prices jump again, and Microsoft warns they my again next year

Joe Skrebels on XBOX Wire, Micirosft's official Xbox (ahem…XBOX) blog (emphasis mine): Updated XBOX Console Prices

Last October, we increased XBOX console price by $20-$70 in the U.S. We hoped another price increase would not be necessary, and we have spent the last several months working with suppliers on options. Unfortunately, console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5x and we expect another doubling by the fall of 2027. The entire consumer electronics industry is struggling with the current components crisis, but the effects are particularly hard on consoles. Unlike phones, computers, speakers, and other consumer devices, consoles are typically not sold at a profit, but instead for less than they cost to make.

The optimistic take is that this indicates they have raised the prices enough to weather next year's doubling of costs. The pessimistic take is that we're in for another round of price hikes next year as well.

Their post also mentions how they're working to get more refurbished models available, and that you can pay over time with BNPL and financing options. I'm just saying we're not in a good place when console makers are actually encouraging people to buy refurbished devices.

As it turns out, the best time to buy an Xbox Series console was in 2020, and the next best time is now. oof.

In 2020, the 1TB Xbox Series X cost $499. In 2026 that exact same console costs $799. Lord knows what it will cost next year.