Another day, another impact of the AI industry gobbling up all the hardware it can get its hands on. This time, it’s console gamers who could suffer. Following the recent spike in memory prices driven by AI-induced shortages, Xbox consoles are now expected to see price rises. Again. This could push the Xbox Series X over $700 for the first time, or dry up supply entirely, if GamesIndustry sources are to be believed.
“[Microsoft] didn’t plan ahead at all, apparently,” reads the quote from Tom of the YouTube channel Moore’s Law is Dead.
“If you still want an Xbox for some reason at their current pricing, those prices could go up soon, or supply could just entirely dry up because multiple sources of mine have apparently been warned by sales reps at Microsoft that this is going to affect the Xbox Series consoles very, very soon. Sooner rather than later.”
Microsoft has raised the prices of its Xbox Series X console several times throughout its lifespan, and an incredible three times this year alone. That was partly down to trade tariffs causing supply shocks for US customers, but this next one is going to impact everyone.
Intriguingly, PlayStation prices aren’t expected to rise in a similar fashion. Sony is alleged to have stockpiled the memory it would need to produce more PS5 and PS5 Pro consoles, so it can tap into that during the shortage to maintain its pricing and availability. Reportedly, Microsoft will not.
This may mean PlayStation prices will rise a few months into 2026, as the memory shortage is global and unlikely to end any time soon. Indeed, some predict that DDR5 pricing could increase by a further 50% by the middle of next year.