Microsoft has implemented substantial price hikes for its Xbox Series S and Series X consoles in the United Kingdom and Europe, effective immediately. This follows a general warning issued in June that prices would increase globally on August 1st. While the United States pricing was revealed at that time, details for other regions were withheld until now, revealing increases of up to 40 percent in some European markets.
The 512GB Xbox Series S now retails for €499.99 in Europe and £429.99 in the UK, a jump from its previous prices of €349.99 and £299.99, respectively. This new European price point converts to approximately $580 USD.
The most significant price increase affects the 1TB version of the Xbox Series X. In Europe, this console now costs €799.99 or £669.99, up from €599.99 and £499.99. This equates to over $900 USD and represents an overall increase of $230.
Microsoft has cited the ongoing global components crisis as the reason for these price adjustments. According to the company, the cost of console storage and memory has more than doubled, with expectations of further increases. This situation is reportedly impacting the entire consumer electronics industry, but the effects are particularly pronounced for consoles. The company noted that "the entire consumer electronics industry is struggling with the current components crisis, but the effects are particularly hard on consoles."
This price adjustment comes at a time when console manufacturers are navigating supply chain challenges and rising component costs. The extent of these increases in the UK and European markets suggests a significant impact on consumer purchasing power for the latest generation of Xbox hardware.
