Microsoft hikes Xbox console prices in Europe and UK

Microsoft has implemented significant price increases for its Xbox Series X and Series S consoles across Europe and the United Kingdom, with new prices taking effect on August -1, 2026. The hikes follow a similar increase announced for the United States in June and are attributed to a severe and ongoing shortage of key components like memory and storage.

In the UK, the price of the Xbox Series X 1TB console with a disc drive has risen from 500 pounds to 670 pounds, an increase of 170 pounds, or approximately 34 percent. The digital-only Xbox Series X now costs 750 pounds, up from 600 pounds. For the Xbox Series S, the 512GB model increased from 300 pounds to 430 pounds, a jump of 43 percent, while its 1TB sibling rose from 350 pounds to 520 pounds, an increase of 48.5 percent. Similar substantial increases have been applied across European markets, with some models seeing prices rise by over 200 euros.

Microsoft cited the global components crisis as the primary driver. In its June announcement, the company stated that console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5 times and could double again by the fall of 2027. The company noted that, unlike many consumer...