Game On: Microsoft raises Xbox console prices again

“Game On” is The Fly’s weekly recap of the stories powering up or beating down video game stocks.

NEW RELEASES: This week’s major new release is Electronic Arts’ (EA) soccer sim “EA Sports FC 26,” which launches September 26 for PC, Nintendo Switch (NTDOY), Switch 2, Xbox One (MSFT), Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4 (SONY), and PS5. Meanwhile, Konami’s (KONMY) survival horror title “Silent Hill f” launches September 25 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, while Sega’s (SGAMY) kart racing game “Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds” releases the same day for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, and Switch 2. Additionally, September 25 marks the release date for Supergiant’s action roguelike title “Hades II,” a sequel to the popular 2020 indie game “Hades,” which is playable on PC, macOS (AAPL), Switch, and Switch 2 at launch.

XBOX PRICE HIKES: Microsoft said that, beginning on October 3, it will update the recommended retailer pricing for Series S and Series X consoles in the United States due to changes in the macroeconomic environment. “We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration,” the company said. “Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and providing value for Xbox players.” Price raises will be as follows: Xbox Series S 512GB will go up $20 to $399.99 from $379.99; Xbox Series S 1TB will go up $20 to $449.99 from $429.99; Xbox Series X Digital will go up $50 to $599.99 from $549.99; Xbox Series X will go up $50 to $649.99 from $599.99; and Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Special Edition will go up $70 to $799.99 from $729.99. Pricing in countries outside the U.S. remains the same. Local pricing may differ by country to reflect exchange rates and other market conditions. The Fly notes that the company also raised base prices of the consoles in May, about a month after President Trump announced a broad spate of tariffs.

NINTENDO/WEDBUSH: Wedbush downgraded Nintendo to Neutral from Outperform as shares have reached its price target of 14,000 yen, which the firm believes fully prices in the best-case scenario of hardware and software unit sales over the next several quarters. Uncertainty remains as Nintendo faces uncertain consumer dynamics over the holiday period, with tariffs driving a much higher console price point, fluctuating foreign currency translation dynamics, and a changing supply and demand landscape, Wedbush argues. With Vietnamese goods facing a 20% tariff, the firm expects Nintendo to raise prices across its accessories and some games to pass through tariff-related costs to U.S. consumers.

ROBLOX/JPMORGAN: JPMorgan raised the firm’s price target on Roblox (RBLX) to $160 from $150 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. The firm says engagement on the Roblox platform surged in Q2 due to back of Grow a Garden with the momentum continuing in Q3, led by Steal a Brainrot and 99 Nights in the Forest. Roblox concurrent users reached a peak of 43M in late August, well above the platform’s prior record of 32M, the analyst tells investors in a research note. JPMorgan expects the strong platform engagement to result in “healthy upside” to management’s Q3 guidance. The firm upped its Q3 bookings growth estimate to 51% year-over-year and Q4 bookings estimate to 44%, both well above Roblox’s outlook.

Click here to check out recent Media Buzz Sentiment on Roblox as measured by TipRanks.

‘BORDERLANDS 4’: Take-Two’s (TTWO) multiplayer shooter “Borderlands 4,” which launched September 12, has surpassed 2.5M players across all platforms, including PC, Xbox, and PlayStation consoles, amounting to revenues of over $150M, according to Alinea Analytics’ Rhys Elliott. The data firm estimates that, at $150M in revenues minus platform cuts, the game is about 60%-65% of the way to breaking even, with the title’s budget likely somewhere in the ballpark of $200M. The Fly notes that “Borderlands 4” will also release for Nintendo Switch 2 consoles on October 3, 2025.

OTHER VIDEO GAME NEWS:

• The Nintendo Switch 2 has sold over 2M units in Japan since launch, TwistedVoxel reports
• Nintendo of America has outsourced customer support services to South America, resulting in hundreds of contractors losing their jobs, IGN reports
• Tencent (TCEHY) has called Sony’s “Light of Motiram” claims an overreach, The Game Post says
• Microsoft said that its Gaming Copilot AI assistant is coming to Windows PC and Xbox on mobile