March 2025 is the 53rd month the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S has been available for. In the latest month, the gap grew in favor of the PlayStation 5 when compared to the aligned launch of the Xbox Series X|S by 205,297 units.
In the last 12 months, the PlayStation 5 has outsold Xbox Series X|S by 2.97 million units. The PlayStation 5 is currently ahead by 8.64 million units.
In the aftermath of Microsoft’s price adjustments, the top-line Xbox will cost you $729.99 in the United States. That’s $30 more than the PS5 Pro’s $699.99.
Microsoft last raised their prices in 2023. Should we have blamed the serving POTUS back then too, or its just corporate greed this time too?
I’ll bite.
So, what’s the exact reason they raised the prices now? I’ll give you a hint, it’s the same reason Nintendo postponed Switch 2 pre-orders. I’ll give you another hint, it’s the same thing that forced them to “assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions.”’
Oops… I think I gave it away with using Nintendo’s exact frackin’ quote.
And Microsoft said their increase was because of “market conditions
and rising costs of production. The price hikes are happening globally and come amid concerns about President Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports, where many Xbox consoles and accessories are manufactured.”
But look, let’s forget those facts for a moment, and you tell me the reasoning for the price increases.
Crazy that your post could even get any upvotes.
Everything is going up because of these stupid tariffs.
not even remotely the same. MS (and also Sony) were adjusting their prices to markets that were long resistant to the price changes they needed. now the model is nearly unsustainable. also - they are corporations. their primary task is to make profit.
The difference now is you have a stupid f**k president who doesn't understand how tariffs work basically made us shoot ourselves in the foot to look tough to other countries. No company is going to eat import taxes for the American consumer. If that were true, then we wouldn't have inflation. If it costs an American importer 145% more money because of import taxes (aka tariffs) who do you think that cost increase is going to be passed along to? thats right. you and me. and that will also lower demand - more money means less demand. less demand means prices will go up even beyond the tariff prices - think the beginning of covid. except this time we did it to ourselves.
Also just FYI its stupid to draw a false equivalence between a corporation whose primary task is to produce profit and a nation - whose primary task is to protect its citizens. And just so you know - the tariffs are an attempt to cover the cost deficit of the tax cuts they want to give to ----- not you..... not me.... wealthy people and corporations. you ever wonder why the middle class is shrinking? why more people are finding it harder to get by? while the rich keep getting richer - to the point that 1% of the population owns 98% of the wealth?
Time to study up and know what you are actually talking about.
$80 digital games? Yep all Trump's fault. an old lady fell and broke her hip outside my house the other day and guess whose fault it is? You can connect the dots and figure out a way to blame anyone or anything. But if the economy gets better after all this negotiating in foreign trade comes to an end, do you think MS will suddenly drop their prices on games? HELL NO
In essence yes at least partially, since the inflation faced by the US the last few years was due to trump’s 1st term and biden. And yes tariffs were also part of the reason because the tariffs nonsense started in Trump’s 1st term, Biden added to it, then this crazy bs we are seeing today.
So in this case tariffs leads to price increase, combined with the fact that someone is getting rid of all the cheap (illegal) labour… causing scarcity and higher cost, which leads to inflation, inflation means everything becomes more expensive.
I am not from the US, it’s painfully obvious to me. Any Americans that don’t understand this… seriously need to consider the possibility that you’re at least a bit brainwashed
No these companies are price gouging and if the tariffs never kick in, they’ll still keep them high.
What’s disgusting about MS move is they’re charging more for a five year old console. At least Sony did a mid gen refresh.
The whole video game industry is turning to shit, too much greed and mass layoffs. I don't have much hope for the future of gaming.
They are charging this to spread the impact out. Given that Xboxs main user base is in the US it's not surprising they have had to increase the cost in the US vs Sony who has not had to alter the US price much as only a percentage of their fan base exists in the US as they are the only console in town next to the switch for most of the world
If the US alone absorbed the price would be far higher it's absolutely a knee jerk reaction globally.
Sony doing a mid gen refresh really doesn't matter as they have also increased the cost of the base model at least in my region the cost has risen from $750 at launch to $829
Switch 2 pricing took the cost into consideration I imagine the cost would have been $100 less had the looming threat of tarrifs and the poor Japanese yen been a factor
But at the end of the day it is what it is and we should just be thankful that we already own the systems we want assuming here you do as most hardcore gamers will have a console if they intended on getting one by now.
It's the next gen systems I'm worried about
I remember the alt account trying to make fun of the Pro last week saying it's the most expensive console in history (it wasn't). And now MS decide to actually have the most expensive one in history that's just a base Xbox model 😂
Same deal with the switch 2 it's sad that people get so emotional over priced of plastic and feel these companies owe them
I don’t think people feel they’re owed anything, but when you have a business model that has been done the same for decades. It’s hard to adjust. Also the fact that gaming has always been affordable to pretty much everyone no matter financial status. But now it’s getting to a point where people are going to get knocked out of a hobby they love and enjoy.
Windows Central: “Embark Studios' ARC Raiders is the extraction shooter I've been waiting for. Here's why it's better than Bungie's upcoming Marathon.”
This is silly. I think both games are amazing. Both games can be very successful at the same time and I hope they are.
I hate articles like this. “My opinion is all that matters. Click my stuff”. Both games will have their audiences. Some ppl like rock. Some ppl like rap. Not everyone is the same.
So we can we can see into the future now? I’m sure ARC is fine, me personally? Far more interested in Marathon. Between known Bungie’s solid gameplay and world building to the aesthetics and concept, I’m all in on Marathon.
Yeah but unfortunately marathon are both in the hands of gamers and one has been recommend for delay.
I played the Technical Test 2 earlier today and had a blast. I got thrown in an instance, saw a guy walking up some stairs, started shooting at him and watched him run for his life. It was funny until I got killed by some random drones. They're both different games and will have their space. Only the gameplay loop will tell.
Why do gamers/gamejournalist do this? We need to stop with all this doom article game shit.
windowscentral wouldn't have wrote this "piece" if Bungie was still owned by Microsoft.
And yes, I'm implying exactly what anyone reading this comment thinks.
The Illuminate made quite a mess in the previous Major Order and it's up to Helldivers 2 players to clean it and reclaim important sites.
