A rumored special edition of the Xbox Series X could carry a price tag around $900, a figure that highlights how costly console gaming has become for American consumers. The alleged translucent green console, reported by the French site Dealabs, is listed at €900. Given Microsoft’s pattern of matching US and British pricing despite currency differences, the expected US retail price would be $900. The same report suggests a release date of Nov. 27, which places the launch near Black Friday, though a significant discount appears unlikely. Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
If the rumored pricing holds, the special 25th anniversary edition would cost $100 more than the standard Xbox Series X with a disc drive, which currently sells for $800 after multiple increases. That standard model has already risen from its original $500 launch price, meaning the anniversary edition would represent a $400 increase over the console’s initial cost. CNET Managing Editor David Lumb saw the device in person at Microsoft’s Xbox event during Summer Game Fest in June. The design reportedly draws on elements from the original Xbox, which launched 25 years ago, appealing to nostalgia-driven buyers.
Gamers have faced sustained price pressure across the industry due to rising component costs, including a RAM shortage, as well as tariffs and logistical problems. The Xbox price increases have come in two rounds. The first, in September 2025, raised the digital-only Series S 512GB to $400, the Series X with disc drive to $650, and the 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition to $800. The second round, announced in June, pushed the Series S 512GB to $500, the 1TB version to $600, the digital-only Series X to $750, and the disc-drive Series X to $800, while discontinuing the 2TB special edition.
Other console makers have also raised prices. Sony increased its entire lineup on April 2, bringing the PlayStation 5 Pro to $900, the PlayStation 5 with disc reader to $650, and the handheld PlayStation Portal to $250. Nintendo is scheduled to raise the price of the Switch 2 starting Sept. 1, bringing it to $500, a $50 increase over its launch price. These moves have made gaming hardware significantly more expensive than in previous generations, when console prices typically fell over time.
The rumored Xbox special edition would match the $900 price of the standard PlayStation 5 Pro, according to IGN, which is owned by the same parent company as CNET. That comparison underscores the new normal for premium console hardware. RAM price increases did slow in late March and early April, but that has not reversed the prior jumps. For American gamers, the options are increasingly limited to paying the higher prices or sticking with older systems, as the trend of rising hardware costs continues with no clear end.
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