This is undoubtedly a strange era for console gamers. Both the Xbox Series X|S and PS5 are now more expensive than they were at launch, breaking the long-standing market trend in which hardware typically becomes more affordable as it ages.

For Microsoft, the global RAM shortage has delivered a particularly heavy blow, driving a series of price increases over the past few years.

The latest adjustment, which took effect in Europe just days ago, had been telegraphed months in advance and came as no surprise. This trend, however, is not stopping anytime soon.

XBOX Project Helix consola digital

XBOX Series X|S Will Become More Expensive and Another Price Hike Is Possible

The price hike applied to the XBOX Series X|S in Europe has become a controversy in the gaming world in the last few days.

The recent European adjustment set the following retail prices:

  • Xbox Series S 512GB: $499 USD
  • Xbox Series S 1TB: $599 USD
  • Xbox Series X 1TB Digital: $750 USD
  • Xbox Series X 1TB: $800 USD

But the upward trend appears far from over. Journalist Jez Corden has reported that Microsoft’s console price increases “ain’t even the ceiling.”

Meanwhile, the company is reportedly losing as much as $150 on every unit sold, and costs for RAM and other critical components continue to climb, inevitably passing the cost on to consumers.

As such, major manufacturers have already warned that memory prices will keep rising, which means further price hikes for Microsoft’s consoles seem increasingly likely.

XBOX Series
XBOX Series X|S pasaron de ser solución a problema

A Preview of Project Helix’s Price?

In past generations, the end of a console cycle was marked by excitement over new announcements, with pricing rarely dominating the conversation. Until recently, the industry assumed that $600 was the ceiling for a viable home system and launching above that was considered a mistake. But times have changed.

Many fans now believe Microsoft is killing two birds with one stone: raising the price of six-year-old Xbox Series hardware prepares the market and players for the cost of Project Helix.

If the 1TB Series X already costs $800 in Europe, the prospect of a significantly more powerful machine like Project Helix starting at $1,000 no longer seems far-fetched.

Industry experts warn that both Project Helix and the PlayStation 6 could exceed the $1,000 mark as companies are reportedly pivoting toward a new business model that prioritizes higher margins and affluent consumers over broad accessibility.

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