Microsoft's Xbox Price Hike Takes Effect in UK and Europe, Adding Up to £170 Per Console
The Xbox price hike Microsoft outlined in late June became reality on August 1, with every Xbox Series S and X model now carrying a higher sticker price across the UK and Europe. The increases run from £130 to £170 in Britain and €150 to €200 on the continent, lifting the entry-level 512GB Series S to £429.99 / €499.99 from £299.99 / €349.99.
Microsoft announced the global increase on June 25 without disclosing regional pricing at the time. The full figures appeared on the company's store pages over the August 1-2 weekend, where players on the ResetEra forum spotted them first. The rollout drew criticism from fans who questioned both the size of the rises and the quiet timing, and the 2TB Series X has been discontinued as part of the change.
Every Xbox Model's New Price
Microsoft's updated storefronts now list the following prices in both regions:
| Model | UK old | UK new | EU old | EU new |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series S 512GB | £299.99 | £429.99 | €349.99 | €499.99 |
| Xbox Series S 1TB | £349.99 | £519.99 | €399.99 | €599.99 |
| Xbox Series X 1TB Digital | £449.99 | £619.99 | €549.99 | €749.99 |
| Xbox Series X 1TB Disc | £499.99 | £669.99 | €599.99 | €799.99 |
In percentage terms the rises are steep. The 512GB Series S is up roughly 43 percent in each market, and the disc-equipped 1TB Series X has climbed about 34 percent above its previous price. The relative positioning has shifted as well: the budget console used to sit £200 below the disc Series X in the UK, a gap that has now widened to £240, with the Series S absorbing the larger percentage increase.
The regional pattern differs slightly between markets. In the UK, the 512GB Series S rose £130 and every other model rose £170. In Europe, the 512GB Series S rose €150 while all three 1TB models rose €200, making the 1TB Series S the model with the largest absolute increase.
Inside the Xbox Price Hike: Component Costs
Microsoft attributes the move to a 2.5x rise in the cost of storage and memory components, the DRAM and NAND chips used in console storage. The company expects those costs could double again by fall 2027, which would put further upward pressure on hardware prices through that window. Dropping the 2TB model removes the most expensive storage configuration from the range, a practical cost-control step while component prices climb.
The UK and European rises are steeper than the $100 to $150 increases applied to the same consoles in the US. Converted at typical exchange rates, the American hikes pointed to UK increases closer to £74 to £111, so the actual figures came in at roughly double the currency-based estimate. A 1TB Series X now carries a price equivalent to about $900 in Europe.
The disc Series X, which launched in 2020 at £449.99 in the UK and €499.99 in Europe, now sells for £669.99 / €799.99, about £220 / €300 above its launch price. The 512GB Series S, meanwhile, costs as much today as the Series X did at launch. The Xbox price hike also widens the gap with Sony: the disc Series X runs about £100 above the PS5 disc edition in the UK, handing the rival platform a clear pricing edge as the holiday season approaches. Microsoft has not announced any promotions tied to the change, and its cost forecast points upward, which offers no sign of cheaper hardware in the near term.
For buyers, the practical effect is a single, large step up in entry cost. The Series S was positioned as the budget door into the Xbox ecosystem; it now starts at £429.99 / €499.99, close to what the Series X cost at launch in 2020, while the disc-equipped Series X itself has climbed to £669.99 / €799.99.
Why This Matters
Anyone shopping for an Xbox in the UK or Europe pays £130 to £170 or €150 to €200 more than a month ago, and Microsoft's own cost outlook points to continued component pressure through 2027. With the Series X now priced above Sony's PS5 in both regions, the Xbox price hike shifts the competitive balance of this generation right before the busiest sales period of the year.
Related Articles
- Memory Chip Crisis Drives Apple and Microsoft to Raise Prices Up to $300
- Nintendo Switch 2 Price Hike Confirmed for Global Markets Amid Rising Costs
- Qualcomm Chip Price Hike Confirmed: Double-Digit Increases Start September 1
✔Human Verified
Researched and cross-referenced against primary sources by the Bytevyte editorial team. This article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence and reviewed by the Bytevyte editorial team.