{
  "id": 115473,
  "title": "Xbox Series X price hiked by £170 due to rising memory chip costs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/xbox-series-x-price-hiked-by-170-due-to-rising-memory-chip-costs",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-04T03:21:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/xbox-series-x-price-hiked-by-170-due-to-rising-memory-chip-costs/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Microsoft has raised the price of its Xbox Series X console to £670, an increase of £170, due to rising costs associated with memory and storage chips. This represents a significant 43% rise from its previous price of £500. Similarly, the Xbox Series S console, which previously cost £300, is now priced at £430, a 43% increase. These price hikes are joining a trend seen across the tech industry, as companies like Sony also raised PlayStation 5 prices by £90 in March. Microsoft had hoped to avoid further price increases, but attributed the need for these changes to the escalating cost of console storage and memory. In the United States, the basic Xbox consoles increased by $100 to $499, while consoles with more memory saw a $150 price hike to $749. This price surge is a response to the increased demand for RAM and graphics cards, driven by the need for these components in AI applications. However, consumers have criticized the moves, with some viewing the new Xbox Series S price as \"absolutely disgusting\" and calling it \"highway robbery for a console released six years ago.\" The price increases have sparked debate about the future of console gaming, with some predicting further hikes or a shift towards streaming services due to the rising hardware costs. Microsoft's gaming division has also faced recent challenges, with the company announcing significant workforce reductions in July 2022.",
  "summary": "Microsoft has increased the price of Xbox consoles worldwide, citing rising costs of memory and storage chips.",
  "key_points": [
    "Xbox Series X price increased by £170 to £670",
    "Xbox Series S price rose 43% to £430",
    "Price hikes due to rising memory chip costs"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "TechRadar",
        "title": "'Nobody was buying them so it doesn't really matter' — Xbox console price hike hits the UK",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/nobody-was-buying-them-so-it-doesnt-really-matter-xbox-console-price",
        "published": "2026-08-03T11:17:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Technology",
        "title": "Xbox Series X price hiked by £170 due to rising memory chip costs",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/xbox-series-x-price-hiked-by-170-due-to-rising-memory-chip-costs",
        "published": "2026-08-03T11:18:10.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Techmeme",
        "title": "Leaked doc: Microsoft plans to bring Xbox 360 games to PC, and the games will be able to run on the next-gen Project Helix console, \"Xbox PCs\", and handhelds (The Verge)",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/leaked-doc-microsoft-plans-to-bring-xbox-360-games-to-pc-and-the",
        "published": "2026-08-03T17:05:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Digital Trends",
        "title": "Xbox is celebrating 25 years by dressing your console in nostalgia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/05/xbox-is-celebrating-25-years-by-dressing-your-console-in-nostalgia",
        "published": "2026-08-05T09:07:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}