Microsoft's 2028 Xbox May Cost $1,200-$1,800 as Affordability Strategy Comes Under Scrutiny
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Oct 22
Microsoft's 2028 Xbox May Cost $1,200-$1,800 as Affordability Strategy Comes Under Scrutiny
3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Oct 22
Summary
Fortune reported Microsoft's next Xbox could reach consumers at $1,200 to $1,800 in 2028, a range that immediately raises doubts about whether a mass-market console launch is still realistic.
High RAM and storage costs appear to be driving the projection, while Microsoft's own executives have recently argued the business can no longer rely on the heavy hardware subsidies that helped keep earlier Xbox prices lower.
Microsoft could still soften the sticker shock through Game Pass-style financing, direct subsidies, cloud-rental access, or a broader 'family of devices' that includes cheaper partner-built Xbox hardware.
A premium-only launch would likely leave many players on current Xbox models and could turn the new machine into more of an early-adopter refresh than a true generational reset.
That would fit a wider industry view that console advances have become too expensive for both buyers and game makers, extending the life of today's hardware instead of forcing a clean next-gen jump.