Former Blizzard Boss Says Xbox Price Hikes Aren’t ‘Tariffs, It’s Profit Issues

by Ahmed Hassan September 22, 2025

written by Ahmed Hassan September 22, 2025

Key Takeaways

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Microsoft is increasing the prices of its Xbox consoles for the second time this year, with the Xbox Series X and Series X 2TB seeing a $50 and $70 increase respectively, and the Xbox Series S experiencing a $20 hike.
These price adjustments result in significant cumulative increases for consumers since the beginning of the year, with the Xbox Series S rising by $100, the Xbox Series X by $150, and the Xbox Series X 2TB version by $200.
Despite some attributing these increases to new U.S. tariffs, Mike Ybarra, former President of Blizzard, has disputed this explanation, stating that Its not about tariffs, its about profit.
Ybarra suggests that Microsoft is using tariffs as a justification for continuous price escalations, indicating that these subsequent increases are primarily driven by profit motives rather than external factors like tariffs.

Microsoft Raises Xbox Prices Again – Profit, Not Tariffs, According to Mike Ybarra

Microsoft is set to increase the prices of its Xbox consoles in the U.S. for a second time, effective October 3rd. The Xbox Series X will see a $50 increase, the Xbox Series X 2TB version will cost an additional $70, and the Xbox Series S will also experience a $20 price hike. These new adjustments mean significant cumulative price increases for consumers this year. Since the beginning of the year, the Xbox Series S will have risen by a total of $100, the Xbox Series X by $150, and the Xbox Series X 2TB version by $200. While some attribute these increases to new U.S. tariffs, Mike Ybarra, former President of Blizzard, disputes this explanation. On Twitter, Ybarra explicitly stated, “It’s not about tariffs, it’s about profit.” According to Ybarra, while the initial price increase might have been influenced by tariffs, this subsequent round is primarily driven by profit motives. He suggests that Microsoft is shifting its financial challenges onto players and leveraging tariffs as a justification for continuous price escalations.

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