Microsoft is increasing the prices of Xbox Series consoles in the US... again.

Yet there are actually people who think the PS6 and even other consoles next generation might be affordable. If the distant third place console keeps increasing in price, what will the market leader and other consoles be priced at next generation? $800-$1000??
 
Last edited:
Season 2 Plan GIF by Paramount+


So that when next gen is 1000 usd people wont be so shocked.
 
"Sir, we're not selling consoles. What do?"
"Raise the price even MORE! (and blame Trump)"

It's not the same but I will say it anyway, it was about 2004 when our CEO saw some scanning software in a convention and brought the idea of making a new scanning software but sell it for a fraction (250 bucks instead of 1500 or something like that). We built it, we released it, and literally sold a few hundred copies only. So he considered what happened and raised the price to $999 because "it was too cheap and wasn't taken as seriously". Man, CEOs have some odd takes.
 
Yet there are actually people who think the PS6 and even other consoles next generation might be affordable. If the distant third place console keeps increasing in price, what will the market leader and other consoles be priced at next generation? $800-$1000??
well, thing is, in retrospect, they'll actually look more'n'more affordable as they boost the original prices even higher over time. so we''l have the options of either getting in early, or paying even more down the line. ingenious...
 
Tariffs plus a weakening dollar is a potent combination.
Interestingly enough Apple didn't really increase prices on iPhones, watches and headphones this year. If anything, base iPhone 17 got a lot of upgrades moving it a lot closer to the "Pro".
Tim Apple got an exemption by paying tribute to dear leader with a gold trophy.
 
There's no way in hell Sony and Microsoft can launch a $650 (minimum) next gen console and keep going business as usual.

I'm not a business expert but I'd be pausing my next gen hardware plans if the goal isn't to make it as cheap and cost effective as possible.

We are in for a spec pause for a decade until the dev tools can be streamlined, game development costs can come down, and the economy and cool down. The industry can't keep going at this pace.

We'll see what happens in a few years, but I have a bad feeling about the PS6. I'm making the PS5 Pro and Switch 2 (and probably some revision I'll get at some point) my end-game platforms.
 
I get inflation and tariffs have affected costs of prices. But doesn't 5 year old parts decrease in cost offsetting this price at all? Seems absolutely ridiculous to see prices remain the same after 5 years let alone go up 30%
 
The way prices are trending (esp with tariffs and cogs), it looks like the next Xbox systems will cost a ton if those rumours are correct aiming at higher end specs.

As for PS6, that's a harder thing to figure out. On one hand, they increase prices like everyone else and PS5 Pro is already $750 US. And it's already slimmed down with no disc drive. The chances of PS6 digital system being equal or cheaper is basically zero unless a miracle happens with cheap ass cogs, tariffs back to zero, and Sony is willing to bite the bullet subsidizing a couple hundred bucks like the old days console makers ponied up to help keep the price low.

Subsidizing is basically a no go as game makers, since they've preferred starting around breakevenish right from day one from last gen. They seem to have no appetite dumping profits down the first year or two with that strategy.

Console makers have basically copied what lots of consumer goods companies started doing in the 2000s. Profit over volume. They'd rather sell a bit less, but at higher margins. It also streamlines the business with less inventory and manufacturing, as well as less fidgeting with pricing going down which is always a pain in the ass. Raising prices may piss off customers, but it's easier to push internally. But once someone wants to reduce prices at head office, it's a shit show and is harder to get approval because it sets a precedent with consumers they are willing to make stuff cheaper. For most things in life, it's rare for stuff to get cheaper over stretches of time. At best, you got something like bananas or apples still at the same price as 20 years ago. But most stuff goes up in price.
 
Last edited:
I don't know who's wondering, or if this has already been covered, but game consoles (and the associated products) are still currently subject to extreme tariffs. I know this because I'm currently manufacturing a game system (of very low quantity, between 2500-5000 total units) and I've been subject to these tariffs.

It has absolutely fucking SUCKED, by the way. I'm manufacturing a yearly passion project, and we're currently at the point where it's unsustainable due to these stupid fucking tariffs.

It's damaging everyone. Not just end consumers, but small developers and manufacturers as well.

I don't like to get political on these forums, but I can at least say that Trump has absolutely fucked everyone in the games industry, from developers, to manufacturers, to consumers. Not only with direct costs, but with risk mitigation costs.

It has been an absolute NIGHTMARE for the last 8 months.
 
I don't know who's wondering, or if this has already been covered, but game consoles (and the associated products) are still currently subject to extreme tariffs. I know this because I'm currently manufacturing a game system (of very low quantity, between 2500-5000 total units) and I've been subject to these tariffs.

It has absolutely fucking SUCKED, by the way. I'm manufacturing a yearly passion project, and we're currently at the point where it's unsustainable due to these stupid fucking tariffs.

It's damaging everyone. Not just end consumers, but small developers and manufacturers as well.

I don't like to get political on these forums, but I can at least say that Trump has absolutely fucked everyone in the games industry, from developers, to manufacturers, to consumers. Not only with direct costs, but with risk mitigation costs.

It has been an absolute NIGHTMARE for the last 8 months.
More like Trump has fucked everyone that voted for him. Farmers are crying now.
 
Yet there are actually people who think the PS6 and even other consoles next generation might be affordable. If the distant third place console keeps increasing in price, what will the market leader and other consoles be priced at next generation? $800-$1000??
Subject to 3rd place manufacturer wanting to sell hardware. The pivot to 3rd party is likely the objective with limited focus on profit generating hardware
 
Interestingly enough Apple didn't really increase prices on iPhones, watches and headphones this year. If anything, base iPhone 17 got a lot of upgrades moving it a lot closer to the "Pro".
I imagine since the only tariff that applies is the country tariff, provided they shift a good proportion away from China they can mitigate the impact pretty well.
 
I get inflation and tariffs have affected costs of prices. But doesn't 5 year old parts decrease in cost offsetting this price at all?
Basically, no.

Some parts are probably a bit cheaper than they were in 2020 (but inflation affects sub-parts too...). But it's not like it was before, where advancements in manufacturing nodes guaranteed that new versions of old chips got cheaper.

We have known this for years. There is a reason Series S exists, you know.
 
Watching Americans cry about suddenly having to pay prices the rest of the World have been paying for years in order to subsidise their cheap ass consumer goods, never gets old.

As the great John McClane once shouted, 'Welcome to the party, Pal'.
 
You could have literally bought a PS5 bundle with Black ops 6 in June for the price of a toaster Series S today. You could buy a 2TB PS5 Pro for the price of the 2TB Series X. Yet somehow people were championing the idea that we need xbox for console price competition. What competition are xbox offering? They're the ones gouging customers.
We need xbox so sony doesn't raise the game prices to $80 first…….ohhhh.
 
Holy shit that 2 TB Series X price 🤣🤣🤣

Actually all those prices are hot garbage 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Horrible generation of consoles tho when it comes to these price increases; all the more reason I'm assured of switching to PC going forward (and a Switch 2 for Nintendo exclusives).



GTA6 will absolutely not be the savior some of you are hyping it up to be. The game itself is likely gonna sell gangbusters, but I don't see new console sales peaks being hit when it drops. Far from it, in fact.

Sony and Microsoft have been selling consoles on the better part going on two years now off of GTA6 hype, since the first trailer dropped in late 2023. Everyone knows it's coming, and the price increases have probably been incentivizing people to buy sooner vs. wait closer to GTA6's launch, if anything. Tho the prices themselves aren't doing the consoles any favors, especially in Xbox's case.
College Football coming back gave a boost to console sales. GTA VI will boost it more than College Football.
 
Obviously they make all money from software and I smell new acquisition soon. Series S is less than Switch 2 that's how they measure the pricing.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom