Xbox prices may be heading for another increase, according to a new wave of insider reports that point to severe RAM shortages, escalating component costs, and internal pressure inside Microsoft’s gaming division.
A detailed report from The Game Post highlights how global memory supply is tightening dramatically, while industry veteran Mark Kern—known online as Grummz—is now publicly stating that Microsoft is “running around with their hair on fire,” citing sources close to the situation.
Kern’s credibility for accurate rumors has risen sharply in recent weeks after his reporting on Ghost of Yotei’s sales numbers proved accurate.
Two Xbox Price Hikes Already in 2025
As The Game Post notes, Xbox fans have already endured two major price increases this year.
In May, Microsoft raised the Xbox Series X from $499.99 to $599.99 and bumped the 512 GB Series S from $299.99 to $379.99. A second wave hit on October 3rd, sending the 512 GB Series S to $399.99, the 1 TB Series S to $449.99, and the standard Series X to $649.99. The 2 TB special edition jumped to $799.99.
The Xbox Series X Console – YouTube, Xbox
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Subscribers also saw Game Pass Ultimate rise from $19.99 to $29.99 per month as part of a broader restructuring.
Now, insiders say more increases may be on the horizon.
RAM Shortages Could Hit Xbox “Very, Very Soon”
According to tech analyst Moore’s Law Is Dead, long-term AI memory contracts—particularly OpenAI’s massive deal securing up to 900,000 DRAM wafers per month from Samsung and SK hynix—have triggered a global supply crunch.
As AI data centers consume a disproportionate share of the world’s DRAM, companies that didn’t secure early supply deals are now competing at significantly higher prices.
Promotional material of Master Chief against a Covenant via Xbox Wire
YouTuber and industry leaker Moore’s Law Is Dead claims Microsoft is among the companies caught off guard.
“Microsoft didn’t plan ahead at all, apparently,” he said, noting his contacts at memory suppliers and retail partners are sounding alarms.
“If you still want an Xbox for some reason at their current pricing, those prices could go up soon,” he said, “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.”
A Playstation 5 console and controller – YouTube, PlayStation
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Sony, on the other hand, reportedly positioned itself far better:
“From what I’ve heard, Sony planned ahead, bought up gobs of RAM near the bottom of the pricing, and thus they should be fine for months,” Moore’s Law continued.
“They have plenty of GDDR6, at least that’s what I’m told. Prices could go up eventually; I could see that happening next year… but there is a reason Sony is cutting PlayStation 5 pricing for Black Friday.”
Grummz: Xbox is “In Panic Mode”
Industry veteran Mark Kern (Grummz) posted his own internal readout, saying the problems extend far beyond RAM procurement.
From everything I’m hearing internally, Xbox is running around with their hair on fire:
– RAM prices set to raise Xbox prices soon.
– Servicing billions in debt for purchasing Blizzard and a host of studios.
– Ordered to produce profit margins of 30% which is very challenging… pic.twitter.com/5uI7kXdKA9
— Grummz (@Grummz) November 22, 2025
“From everything I’m hearing internally, Xbox is running around with their hair on fire,” Kern said. “RAM prices set to raise Xbox prices soon, servicing billions in debt for purchasing Blizzard and a host of studios, ordered to produce profit margins of 30% which is very challenging in AAA, Game Pass subscriptions didn’t grow like it did during Covid, which wrecked this long term plan to acquire studios and monopolize content to the service. This was a screw up years in the making and Xbox is in panic mode.”
Kern’s prior accuracy regarding Ghost of Yotei sales numbers has made his new claims difficult for industry observers to ignore.
Xbox Leadership Speaks to the Future—But Faces Pressure Now
All of this arrives just as Xbox president Sarah Bond has been publicly discussing Microsoft’s next-generation hardware direction.
In her interview with Fortune, she reaffirmed that, “Hardware is absolutely core to everything that we do at Xbox.”
A screenshot from the trailer to Gears of War E Day – YouTube, Xbox
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Bond also described Xbox’s future console strategy in a conversation with Mashable, calling it, “A very premium, very high-end curated experience.”
But critics argue that long-term ambition may be colliding with short-term supply-chain reality.
Conclusion
Between RAM shortages, rising component costs, accumulated acquisition debt, and Game Pass subscription plateaus, multiple insiders now believe that Xbox Prices will escalate again in the near future. While Microsoft has not commented on the latest reports, the combination of Moore’s Law Is Dead’s analysis and Grummz’s corroborating internal claims suggests the situation is accelerating rapidly.
The Xbox Pride Month profile Picture – X: @Xbox
If RAM supply continues to constrict globally, Xbox hardware may not only become more expensive—it may become harder to find at all.
How do you feel about Xbox prices going up again? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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sara bond
“A very premium, very high-end curated experience.”
“Curated” is the new corporate “very high end” buzz word. It replaced “robust” from the 2010s.
What a twat.
Install Linux, which runs games faster than Windows, these days.