Microsoft raises Xbox prices due to tariffs
Why it matters: The tech giant didn't reference the impact of tariffs specifically, but its updated support page cited changing "market conditions."
Tariffs are affecting game companies across the board – Nintendo also announced price hikes for its accessories due to an almost identically phrased"change in market conditions."
Microsoft also attributes pricing changes to the "rising cost of development."
"Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players," the page says.
State of play: Xbox consoles are now $80 to $100 more per model.
Microsoft's entry-level Xbox Series S now costs $379.99, an $80 increase from its previous sticker price of $299.99.
The Xbox Series X is now $599.99, up $100 from its previous $499.99.
The company also said that its recommended prices for new games will be $79.99 "starting this holiday season." The price of existing games will not change, per Microsoft.
The price of the special edition Xbox Wireless Controller will increase to $79.99, a $10 increase from its previous $69.99 price point.
The full list of pricing changes in various territories can be found on Microsoft's support page.
Zoom out: Even if they're not spelling out the role of President Trump's tariffs, companies are bracing for the impact on the coming holiday season.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
35 minutes ago
- Axios
Arkansas could see sharp jump in car insurance rates
Car insurance rates could rise more by the end of the year with tariffs than without them, and Arkansas could be one of the most affected states, a new projection finds. Why it matters: The analysis shows one more way that Americans pay for higher tariffs. Driving the news: The nationwide average annual cost of full-coverage car insurance could rise by 7% between June and December if tariffs stay in effect, compared to 4% otherwise, per a new report from insurance-comparison platform Insurify. In raw terms, the average cost could hit $2,472 with tariffs, compared to $2,402 without them. That's based on the tariff picture as of Aug. 1, reflecting the Trump administration's recently lowered rates on cars and auto parts from Japan, South Korea and Europe. Zoom in: Arkansas could see a 9% increase with tariffs or a 6.1% increase without by year's end. Several states with relatively large expected increases for the rest of the year recently saw costs dip, giving them more room for growth. Between the lines: Tariffs affect insurance rates by increasing the costs of imported parts needed for repairs. Inflation, accident frequency, and claims due to extreme weather also impact rates, among other factors. What they're saying: "Initially, car insurance companies looked at 2025 as a year to keep insurance rates stable, or even cut them," per Insurify's report. "Tariffs and inflation could derail that trend." Claims volume could also fall, and insurance regulators could fight price hikes. How it works: Insurify's projections are based on over 97 million rates from the insurance companies it works with, and reflect median costs for drivers age 20-70 with clean records and at least average credit.
CNBC
39 minutes ago
- CNBC
CNBC Daily Open: The Trump administration's mixing business with politics to build a chip empire
Don't mix business with pleasure — or the music of the spheres might eject you from the skies even if you are an astronomer — but it seems, in the current milieu, there are no such restrictions between business and politics. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is eyeing a stake in struggling chipmaker Intel, according to a Bloomberg report on Thursday. That consideration is primarily attributable to Intel's status as the only born-and-bred American company that can manufacture the fastest chips on U.S. soil. While some firms such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Samsung, both of which can produce 3-nanometer chips — the most advanced semiconductors so far — have factories in the U.S., they are Taiwanese and South Korean companies, respectively, and probably do not enjoy apple pies on the Fourth of July. In combination with the news that Nvidia and AMD will pay the U.S. government a 15% share of their revenue from chip sales in China, as well as Apple committing to make more chips in America, the Trump administration seems to be consolidating a chip empire with the White House as its capital. To modify a song last heard by the Astronomer CEO before he was cast down to Earth: "I used to rule the world / Chips would rise when I gave the word."The Trump administration is reportedly considering a stake in Intel. The chipmaker is the only U.S. company that can manufacture the most advanced semiconductors in America. Intel's shares soared 7.4% after Bloomberg reported the news. Wholesale prices in the U.S. heat up. The producer price index for July shot up 0.9% on the month, higher than the Dow Jones estimate of a 0.2% gain. It was the biggest monthly rise since 2022. The annual figure came in at 3.3%, the highest since February. Potential Fed chair David Zervos backs an aggressive rate cut. The Jefferies chief market strategist told CNBC that reaccelerating wholesale prices in July should not deter the central bank from cutting its "restrictive" monetary policy by 50 basis points. U.S. stocks flirt with the flatline. The S&P 500's barest 0.03% gain, however, means it closed at another high on Thursday. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index added 0.55%. Meanwhile, the U.K. economy expanded by a better-than-expected 0.3% in the second quarter. [PRO] European defense stocks will benefit from Trump-Putin meeting. Regardless of whether the talks result in any breakthroughs on the war in Ukraine, analysts think it's a "win-win" situation for defense stocks. Putin vs. Trump? Ukraine talks could be a test of statecraft Russian President Vladimir Putin's standing in the West may be pretty low, but he's a skilled and seasoned statesman who shouldn't be underestimated, analysts say — and he's likely to be looking to outmaneuver his less experienced U.S. counterpart when the leaders meet in Alaska on Friday. "Let's be clear, Putin does not take Trump seriously," Tina Fordham, founder of Fordham Global Foresight, told CNBC ahead of the talks.
Wall Street Journal
39 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Pro Bono or Pro Nono? Law Firms Split on Fulfilling Deals With Trump
The nine law firms that promised President Trump they would perform about $1 billion in pro bono work on his favored causes have embraced broad interpretations of what they owe. Several firms that struck the unprecedented deals have shrugged them off as unenforceable and have taken on little to no additional unpaid work, according to people familiar with the matter. They are hoping Trump has moved on.
