How is this supposed to convince people to buy a console that’s already selling poorly?
this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2025
179 points (98.4% liked)
Games
42407 readers
713 users here now
Welcome to the largest gaming community on Lemmy! Discussion for all kinds of games. Video games, tabletop games, card games etc.
Rules
1. Submissions have to be related to games
Video games, tabletop, or otherwise. Posts not related to games will be deleted.
This community is focused on games, of all kinds. Any news item or discussion should be related to gaming in some way.
2. No bigotry or harassment, be civil
No bigotry, hardline stance. Try not to get too heated when entering into a discussion or debate.
We are here to talk and discuss about one of our passions, not fight or be exposed to hate. Posts or responses that are hateful will be deleted to keep the atmosphere good. If repeatedly violated, not only will the comment be deleted but a ban will be handed out as well. We judge each case individually.
3. No excessive self-promotion
Try to keep it to 10% self-promotion / 90% other stuff in your post history.
This is to prevent people from posting for the sole purpose of promoting their own website or social media account.
4. Stay on-topic; no memes, funny videos, giveaways, reposts, or low-effort posts
This community is mostly for discussion and news. Remember to search for the thing you're submitting before posting to see if it's already been posted.
We want to keep the quality of posts high. Therefore, memes, funny videos, low-effort posts and reposts are not allowed. We prohibit giveaways because we cannot be sure that the person holding the giveaway will actually do what they promise.
5. Mark Spoilers and NSFW
Make sure to mark your stuff or it may be removed.
No one wants to be spoiled. Therefore, always mark spoilers. Similarly mark NSFW, in case anyone is browsing in a public space or at work.
6. No linking to piracy
Don't share it here, there are other places to find it. Discussion of piracy is fine.
We don't want us moderators or the admins of lemmy.world to get in trouble for linking to piracy. Therefore, any link to piracy will be removed. Discussion of it is of course allowed.
Authorized Regular Threads
Related communities
PM a mod to add your own
Video games
Generic
- !gaming@Lemmy.world: Our sister community, focused on PC and console gaming. Meme are allowed.
- !photomode@feddit.uk: For all your screenshots needs, to share your love for games graphics.
- !vgmusic@lemmy.world: A community to share your love for video games music
Help and suggestions
By platform
By type
- !AutomationGames@lemmy.zip
- !Incremental_Games@incremental.social
- !LifeSimulation@lemmy.world
- !CityBuilders@sh.itjust.works
- !CozyGames@Lemmy.world
- !CRPG@lemmy.world
- !OtomeGames@ani.social
- !Shmups@lemmus.org
- !VisualNovels@ani.social
By games
- !Baldurs_Gate_3@lemmy.world
- !Cities_Skylines@lemmy.world
- !CassetteBeasts@Lemmy.world
- !Fallout@lemmy.world
- !FinalFantasyXIV@lemmy.world
- !Minecraft@Lemmy.world
- !NoMansSky@lemmy.world
- !Palia@Lemmy.world
- !Pokemon@lemm.ee
- !Skyrim@lemmy.world
- !StardewValley@lemm.ee
- !Subnautica2@Lemmy.world
- !WorkersAndResources@lemmy.world
Language specific
- !JeuxVideo@jlai.lu: French
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
Damn, I remember when consoles got less expensive over time, and when free speech was a thing.
Welp idiots decided to vote for another trump recession and rights trampling so here we are.
He tanked the economy his first term, covid covered for it but it was about to crash before it hit because he makes insane policies and fires any competent.
I’m watching the clock to see how long it takes for you to be banned from the whole fediverse and sent to alligator Alcatraz for your statements about free speech.
Good thing the fediverse is decentralized :)
Up yours, fascists!
*Alligator Auschwitz
Microsoft spent billions on XBOX brand over over the past 23+ years but seems like they're just done with it. They must know raising the price for the second time will be a final nail in the XBOX coffin. Is there a plan for a next XBOX? Does it even make sense to make the next XBOX? Is there even a reason for anyone to buy the next XBOX? Currently Microsoft's marketing message is basically just spend $400 to $800 on a hardware and then pay $10 to $20 monthly ($120 to $240 a year) indefinitely for access to games but if you stop paying the monthly fee, you have an expensive paperweight because you own nothing. Oh and game pass price could go up at anytime over the lifespan of the console.
Look at me owning an Xbox even less.
At this price, I can not own two!
I don't see the point in owning a console anymore. All console games eventually come to PC, even Nintendo games (thanks, emulaton).
I kinda love PS5, but even still, I agree with the sentiment. Haptic feedback in all PC controllers, pleeeease?
Me: Always bought consoles when prices started going down
Console manufacturers: We choose to leave this market untapped this time.
The things that used to allow for them to do that aren't happening this time around. We're getting diminishing returns on processor architecture improvements compared to a few decades ago. Also, this one in particular is only in the US, so...this one is tariffs.
Processor architecture was always the same for console refreshes into cheaper slim models. It's the massive slowdown of manufacturing improvements or nodes that is preventing price cuts. Processor architecture only affects new generations of consoles and premium versions like ps5 pro.
I did not mean to imply that the architecture changed in PS2 slim compared to the original PS2, only that were able to make better, cheaper, cooler, smaller versions of that same architecture.
It's not console makers. It's Trump.
Trump certainly isn't helping, but it's a number of factors put together. Moore's Law is slowing, and one effect of that is that manufacturing existing tech isn't getting cheaper either.
Don't worry, they are getting relatively cheaper as inflation is a problem. Unfortunately they are also getting more expensive as wages aren't keeping up with inflation.
Plus tariffs. Plus moores law ended. Plus profiteering. Plus dwindling competition. Plus entry to market costs are too high. Thank you gods for the steam deck. It should correct a lot of those problems. Especially if the platform becomes an os and not just a product.
TBH, with the death of Moore's law we might see competition shoot back up in a few years as smaller players get a chance to catch up
And as processing doesn't keep increasing, perhaps coding will have to become more efficient so older or cheaper devices will also be useful.
Currently there is little incentive toake code efficient if speed will double anyway over time.
This is unlikely to happen with current rules. You would likely need to radically change copyright and patent laws for a fast-moving sector like semiconductors to create real competition.
Semiconductor performance will continue to improve and the baseline will always be the most modern CPUs and GPUs (even if prices continue to rise).
When should I sell my unused Series X? Because I feel like I'd make a profit if retail prices keep increasing 😂
Joke's on them, I haven't paid anything for an Xbox since late 2001.
These systems at these prices, once you stop gaming, you really can't imagine getting back into it.
Oh no! That's tarifful!
Guess I'll never buy one even more.
With how much and how fast Xbox sales have been dropping, are they even producing new units to sell? Or are they using tariffs as an excuse to raise the prices and make as much bank as possible with what little customers they have left?
They're not trying to make as much bank as possible; they're trying to lose as little money possible on each unit sold.
The point I was trying to make is, that with their abysmal sales, maybe these units were produced before the tariffs went into effect, which means that they were not losing money on their sales, but increased the price anyway.
Even holding inventory costs money. They know where their bread is buttered, and it's on software after they've already sold the hardware. If they could charge less and get an Xbox in your home, a pathway to you becoming a Game Pass subscriber, they'd do it. I think this is just trying not to bleed any money at all as they slowly exit the business of selling a traditional console, paving the way for making pre-built PCs with the Xbox branding at a price and scale that matches the market's appetite.
Are PC prices keeping steady? This new BS trend of raising price for old hardware is nothing but a bad joke, and I have always been a console (and mostly, handheld) gamer, that's why I ask.
I have a series S that I paid $299 for new. If video games keep getting more expensive, I guess I'll just have to go outside.
Also, fuck switch 2, it's just a switch but bigger and more expensive.
Not really. Its far better spec then the switch 1. But granted still a shit choice
You used to be able to pay Microsoft ~20€ to enable developer mode, so you were able to sideload emulators and other homebrew apps to the Series S/X. I'm not if it's still possible.
Those rumors about a new Xbox console next year, no way anymore. Too expensive. Series X is $650 and something more powerful than a PS5 pro would be a pre-buiod gaming desktop at Best Buy price level. If they're trying to have their own Wii U level of sales failure, they'll push out an $800 console and bomb out
Boycott Microdoft and go for a PS5
Sony jacked up PS prices already 😔
This week marks 10 years with my Xbox One Forza Motorsport 6 edition. I was thinking that's a good mile marker to admit it's struggling under modern games and upgrade to a disc XSX. Guess I won't expect any cool discounts this holiday. Probably just discounted to the prior price.
I really like the blue console/controller with racing stripes and car sounds, so it's a shame they haven't matched that. Part of the reason I didn't want to replace it yet
Wait...Xbox is still an thing?!
5 years of higher than usual inflation and tariffs. The prices actually aren't far off inflation adjustment from 2020. Xbox as a console brand is done. Switch 2 for party games. PlayStation is you really need a high end console. Everyone else should be trying to embrace 1920x1080 or 2560x1080 PC gaming. GTX 1060 6gb still solid for most new games at 1080p. Low settings rarely look bad these days when you have to go low
If you really want 4k, embrace medium settings
Dip shits fighting over the chance to pay $2000 for just a graphics card, nothing else, is partly the cause for this.
Maybe they could try to soften the blow by allowing gamers to install Steam games on them (like they're doing for the handheld and the Xbox app on PC). That's been the rumor for a long time. A semi-jailbroken Xbox Series X that could run PC games (within reason, I mean within its capability) would be worth the higher price.
You're still gonna pay more for a PC, and that PC is running spyware (Windows). I suppose the Xbox is as well though (since it runs a form of Windows).
Yeah but allowing players to have steam games would mean not recovering the money invested in subsidizing the console since there is no money made on selling them.
That only works when Xbox is only gonna be a brand and not console makers.
Their console strategy is squarely aimed at Gamepass, which is a good deal for many gamers even with Steam. My ROG Ally has both Xbox and Steam games on it, and I probably do split time between them 50/50.
Yeah but don’t forget that GamePass is also costing them a lot of money.
Yeah, but Xbox fans keep saying it’s coming despite reasonable arguments like that and I’m starting to wonder if they’re right? But also I’ll believe it when I see it. They’re also selling it for like 30% more than before so they’re no longer selling it at a loss which is why I suggested it. But they probably won’t.
Something like that could be coming. Microsoft seem pretty weird with their decision making.
Yeah but you forgot chip prices and tariffs so I don’t think their margins have improved by so much..