2023 has been a year of price increases in the games industry, and we’ve got another one of those cases on our hands. Microsoft has announced a price hike for the original Xbox Series S model in Brazil, and it’s quite a significant one.
In a statement to Brazilian outlet The Enemy, the company confirmed that the lower-spec current-gen Xbox console’s price is being increased to R$3599, up from the previous range of R$2000-2500. That puts it in the same price range as the original PS5 Digital Edition model.
“At Xbox, we remain focused on delivering the best gaming experience at a variety of price points, so players can choose the one that best suits their gaming needs and budget,” Microsoft said in its statement. “In the coming weeks, we will begin communicating price adjustments for Xbox Series S consoles in Brazil.”
It’s worth noting that the price hike applies only to the original 512 GB Xbox Series S SKU, and not the black 1 TB model that was released earlier this year. Xbox Series X’s price also remains unaffected in the region for now.
This isn’t the first price hike we’ve seen from Microsoft for its Xbox products in 2023. Earlier this year, prices for Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Series X were raised in number of regions around the world (though Brazil wasn’t one of them), while the company has also increased Xbox Series X/S prices in Sweden and Japan this year.
2023 has also seen Microsoft beginning to release its first party games for $70, with the increased price having been attached to Redfall, Starfield, and Forza Motorsport.