Damn it. I was literally just telling my buddy Chris last weekend that I might finally cave and buy a Series X this Black Friday. Talk about terrible timing - Microsoft just confirmed they're jacking up prices on basically everything Xbox. My credit card is already giving me the side-eye.

The price hikes are hitting globally, and they're not small bumps either. We're talking serious cash here, folks.

Look, I've been covering gaming tech since 2016, and this kind of mid-generation price INCREASE (rather than the usual decreases) feels like getting punched in teh stomach while already down. Usually consoles get cheaper over time, not more expensive!

The Damage to Your Bank Account

So here's what's happening in the UK - the Series X is jumping £20 to £499.99, while the Series S (you know, the "affordable" option) is somehow getting a massive £50 increase to £299.99. If you're fancy enough to want that 2TB Series X, prepare to shell out £589.99 after a £40 rise.

Europeans aren't escaping either. €50 increases across the board, pushing the Series X to €599.99.

But American gamers? They're getting absolutely hammered.

The Series X is shooting up $100 to $599.99. The 512GB Series S? Up $80 to $379.99. And that premium 2TB Series X will now cost an eye-watering $729.99 after a $130 jump - making it pricier than Sony's PS5 Pro at $699.

Wait... the games too?!

Yep. Microsoft isn't just stopping at hardware. Starting this holiday season (perfect timing, right?), new first-party Xbox games will cost $79.99, up from $69.99. UK prices aren't confirmed yet, but you can bet they'll follow suit.

Physical and digital games will both see the increase. Even accessories like controllers and headsets are getting price bumps.

At least Game Pass is staying the same price... for now. I give it six months before that changes too.

So Why Is Everything Suddenly So Expensive?

Microsoft is blaming "rising development costs" and "market conditions" - the corporate equivalent of "it's not me, it's you."

But there's more to this story. Remember those tariffs that Trump put in place? They're still causing chaos in global supply chains, especially for electronics coming from China. And guess what? Almost all gaming hardware has components manufactured there.

The result? We're all paying more. Not just Americans - everyone.

Sony already raised PlayStation prices earlier this year. Now Microsoft follows suit. It's like watching dominos fall, except each domino is $50-100 of your money.

The Irony? Xbox Sales Are Already Down

Microsoft's latest earnings report showed declining Xbox hardware sales. So their solution is... make them more expensive? Make it make sense.

I spent 3 hours yesterday reading through financial reports (my wife thinks I'm nuts), and Microsoft's gaming division is actually doing fine overall thanks to Call of Duty, Minecraft, and Game Pass subscriptions. They're not exactly hurting for cash.

But hey, they admit these changes are "challenging" for players. No kidding.

What now?

If you've been on the fence about buying an Xbox, you might want to pull the trigger before these increases kick in. Or maybe wait for holiday sales? Though I wouldn't hold my breath for any amazing deals this year.

Honestly, between this and my heating bill doubling since 2021, I'm starting to think my gaming budget might need to shift to board games instead. At least Monopoly prices haven't gone up. Yet.