The Xbox Series S is currently only very slightly cheaper than the far more powerful PS5

The PlayStation 5 Pro, with improved performance, is also $70 cheaper than the 2TB Xbox Series X.

[lukasmain]

Crazy. MS were hardly selling any consoles before. Now imagine what it's going to be like?

[lelo2play]

Microsoft gave up selling consoles. They simply don't care... Xbox prices are irrelevant for them.

[CrashMania]

They should care, considering that's where most of their gamepass subs come from.

[GamerRN]

Unfortunately I agree, the Series Gen of consoles, completely dead. Not a chance they sell even another million consoles.

If they don't really knock it out the park with a new hybrid PC, they will lose everything and become a 3rd party publisher...

[dveio]

They hadn't in 2020.

Or, more accurately, they hadn't given up on the business idea that consoles could produce healthy business.

But since ~2022/2023, unlike in 2020 (when Spencer even thought about making everything they bought exclusively to Xbox "to spend Sony out of business"), they just switched to "everything is an Xbox".

Why didn't they promote that slogan in 2020 already?

We know why.

To be fair though, they've been actually switching gears the right way ever since Series consoles (and GP subs) tanked.

But they've still spared an answer as to why people in 2020 were made buying an X|S. For GP? Something that's in the clouds?

And Xbox hard fans' deflecting about it just shows what a true disappointment the Series generation really is.

Because ultimately, it just shows Xbox executives had almost zero (!) own backup going into X|S.

Except, you guess it, Halo & Forza once again.

And that ain't good enough wether to beat Playstation, nor to convince people to go buy an X|S.

The fact that "Xbox just bought and now own Call of Duty" isn't something a GPU renders.

[S2Killinit]

MS wants to destroy consoles at this point. That is their long term plan it seems.

[Elda]

Crickets.

[BeHunted]

For now. Once Sony orders more PS5 Pro consoles from China and imports them to the USA, tariffs will increase the retail cost, probably over the $1k mark.

[Wh1teLightning]

Pure speculation.

[andy85]

Not a chance it will go up over 300. Literally no one would buy it.

[badz149]

Honest question - why are there lots of comments like this as if they are praying that Sony will increase the price of their consoles?? Is that what you all want?

[RaidenBlack]

lol,
plz no Series S like plan for next gen

[jznrpg]

It’s how they sold as many consoles as they did this gen. Next gen will be interesting for sure

[ocelot07]

If the rumours of their next console just being a PC that any pc manufacturer can produce with a windows os. Then a Xbox handheld as well. My guess is they will have multiple tiers of "consoles" like the Steam Machines had.

[Elda]

XB decided to cancel the handheld.

[InUrFoxHole]

@Elda
Umm. No they didn't

[ocelot07]

@Elda

If the rumours are to be believed. They have shelved their own Xbox handheld console for the time being. So they can focus on optimizing windows for handhelds.

The ROG Ally x Xbox handheld is still apparently releasing this year. But as most people would of guest it's going to to be a Xbox branded ROG Ally handheld.

[badz149]

Just to remind you...the Steam Machine initiative failed miserably!

[Elda]

Google it. MS/XB is not releasing a XB handheld no time soon, it's true that they are trying to improve their os on handhelds but as far as releasing their own they have stated it is definitely on hold is what I meant to say. That 3rd party handheld is just something with their name on it.

[S2Killinit]

Pretty much trying to destroy the console market. MS is a cancer to gaming.

[ocelot07]

@badz149

You are correct. Steam Machines where a massive fail. The concept was great but ultimately a fail. As at the end of the day they where essentially laptop components inside a tiny pc case. No upgrade options. Steam OS at the time was garbage. Hardly any games worked as it was only compatible with Linux titles. So it was a big failure.

In 2025 Steam have a really good Steam OS that's compatible with thounds of games. It's nice to navigate. They have a successful handheld. Other companies like ROG, MSI, Lenovo have gotten in on the handheld pc market.

I think if Steam where to jump into console PC's again. I think this time will be a success.

[RaidenBlack]

@badz149 & @ocelot07
just gonna say, Steam Machine was tried at a different time, with different possibilities and far underpowered specs.
an xbox+steam collabed steam console box might be interesting? (And hope its decently spec-ed tho)
all depends on the execution, the reveal presentation, the spec and the launch titles.

[XBManiac]

It was crazy to to that and it was known since both consoles were announced... "A cheaper version of the hardware to sell more units"... Yes... but in the real world it made both consoles more expensive from beginning to final seller, as well as less attractive for users, developers and stock. Who's responsible for this? How did it pass the filters? It is incredible how a company as big as Microsoft can do that. But, well... Microsoft has money as a punishment.

[S2Killinit]

It was desperation to compete with the install base of PlayStation that led to the decision.

[ocelot07]

This should be a eye opener for those who always say "well Microsoft have trillions they can take the hit".

They may very well be able to take the hit. But in the real world they don't want to take the hit. Because remember they have shareholders to please. Shareholders want to see money coming in not going out.

[Petebloodyonion]

This is how you make a fool of the competition :)
You let them raise the price, thinking you will follow suit, and you proceed to reduce it, making them look stupid.

Good move, Sony!

The funniest part is that the competition seems to never learn since Sony pulled this trick a couple of times in the past
(PlayStation versus Sega Saturn) (PlayStation 4 Vs Xbox One).

[JEECE]

Remember that time Albert Penello was peddling the idea that Series S was going to outperform PS5?
https://wccftech.com/penell...

That aged well.

[gold_drake]

thats crazy

if sony is smart, they dont increase the rpice and let people grab the cheaper ps5

[RhinoGamer88]

PHIL!!!

[babadivad]

K

[Deathtracker]

That's wild...

[thesoftware730]

I think this late in the gen, if someone wants an Xbox they are buying it for GP, so PS5 being cheaper means nothing, and the fact they were getting trounced in console sales anyway.

So if someone decides $80 for games is too much, then GP, which is the main reason to own an Xbox is still a good choice. The upfront cost may seem steep, but you can save a lot on the software front, especially if you are interested with the amount of games MS have been pumping out lately.

[InUrFoxHole]

This gen is wild... Tarrifs and a $650 mid gen upgrade. $80 games... I wouldn't have guessed this.

[MetroidFREAK21]

Microsoft wants to purposefully price themselves out

[Npugz7]

This makes absolutely no sense

[__y2jb]

Probably Sony moving their inventory as quickly as possible due to the unstable nature of the US market now. Better to make some money and shift some units now as you have no idea what the moronic US leadership will throw at your business next week.