Microsoft Is Dropping The Price Of Xbox Series S For Black Friday 2022

Cool I guess but no one really cares about Series S, let's be real. Xbox Series S is what a Grandma buys for their grandchild for Christmas or a birthday on accident instead of a Series X or PS5.

Great price! Use my Series S and X roughly equally and that price point can't be beat! Might pick up another one at that price!

@bpomber That's not the whole picture. As someone who doesn't care about 4k, I was perfectly happy with the Series S. The cheaper price was nice and frankly, I always hated the way the Series X looked. I have a PC now, but I loved my Series S when I had it.

@FraserG Maybe, but in my experience I've personally never heard anyone mention the Series S in real life. Even on the internet there's very little talk of the Series S, outside of Xbox focused websites.
Also ever since the Xbox Series and PS5 release in November 2020, Series S is the only one of the 3 "next gen" consoles I've seen available in stores until just these past few weeks since inventory has been picking up finally. That kind of speaks to the fact that people just aren't very interested in it nearly as much.
Maybe it's different in other parts of the world, but where I am there seems to be very little interest in it.

@bpomber or for playstation gamers who want to enjoy what xbox has to offer as well.

Or those who are worse off financially and want a cheaper entry into this generation of gaming.

Or those who don't care about 4K and discs and just enjoy games for what they are without spending over £400+ for slight improvements.

The difference with a Series S is that it being an All-Digital device, MS essentially locks those Consumers to its 'ecosystem' and most importantly, its Storefront. Its not like you can go to Ebay or Amazon to buy 'cheap' and/or used games - you have to buy through MS meaning they get 'retailer' profit which is ~30%. To get the 'most' out of a Console, you also need a Subscription - whether its 'Gold' to play 'online' games or maybe Game Pass Ultimate to get both Gold and a decent Game Library,

Assuming MS is losing around $150 (they said between $100-$200 when at 'full RRP'), they are hoping that Customers over their ownership will spend enough (either on Games (inc DLC, MTX etc), Accessories (Controllers, SSD expansions, etc), Subscriptions (Gold, Game Pass) or combination of these) to offset that initial loss. Of course they are not losing money on 'every' new Customer as those who join Xbox through their PC/Cloud are not starting with a Loss with MS so every new game, accessory or Subscription they make are 'helping' to offset the 'losses' on hardware...

With Christmas coming and a LOT of families with Kids (who only have 1080p TV's in their Room at best) wanting to play the latest games, this is perfect.

@bpomber The numbers would suggest that you are WRONG! Maybe there are some that only care about 'resolution' - especially if they have 4k TV's to actually take advantage of that, but for many, the better 'bang for buck' purchase is a Series S. DF compares Series S to Series X on a '4k' display, which does make the resolution difference easier to see, but if you played a Series X and S on a HDTV - as most young gamers don't have big 55"+ 4k TV's in their room, the difference is virtually indistinguishable.

120fps modes are 'pointless' for many too (due to their TV capabilities) and even RT is just like moving up a quality setting - like going from Medium Quality reflections, shadows or AO to High. Its not as if you don't get Shadows/reflections etc without RT or it really has a dramatic effect on the game and its game-play. The Series S punches well above its 'specs'.

Its probably more widely available because they can get 'more' Chips off each wafer, its Smaller too so can pack more into Shipping containers and with less components (inc RAM chips, Disc drive), likely to be impacted 'less' by supply hold-ups in the manufacturing side.

There are MANY reasons why a Series S may well be a 'better' console for some Gamers who just won't get the 'benefits' of spending $200+ more to get a Series X. For some, the 'only' benefit would be the Disk Drive because on their 1080/60 TV, the benefits of Extra GPU grunt is nullified...

Folks should watch the latest Digital Foundry Direct #86 (first 20 minutes or so) as they discuss the whole "is series s limiting next gen" question.

It's an interesting discussion but the tldr: no not in their view. (It is more nuanced than that so worth watching if you want the nitty gritty details.)

I think my series S was worth the cost and a good introduction to the Xbox ecosystem from someone who up to that point had been all PlayStation.

@UltimateOtaku91 @BAMozzy Yes maybe that's all true. Sorry my initial post shouldn't have said "no one really cares". I should have said "most gamers don't really care".

I mean there's a reason that Series S has been the most available out of the Series S, Series X, and PS5. Maybe it is because of @BAMozzy 's chip argument, maybe not. I would say that reason is less demand.

But also, there's a reason that Series S is the first out of those 3 plus the Switch to have a price drop. Again, I would say that reason is less demand.

@bpomber “most gamers don’t really care” is still wrong. Hell I would say even “most hardcore gamers don’t really care” would also be wrong.

If you really are that curious about why the series s is readily available, Phil Spencer recently talked about them having a much easier time manufacturing it and meeting demand than they are having with Series X. It’s available because it’s less restricted by supply chain issues.

Unless you have information on the supply chain and retail demand, “I would say” is simply your brain jumping to conclusions based on your personal preferences and projecting them onto everyone else.

@bpomber EXACTLY!

@FraserG They care about for all the good reasons of incredibly underpowered, severe lack of hard drive space, and overall issues with developers?

@Tharsman Series S has less demand so yes of course it's easier to meet demand for it.

And to your last comment, yes these are just my thoughts based on my personal experiences. That's the point of open forums, to express thoughts. Everything I say is just my opinion based on my own experiences.

What I'm saying maybe isn't right, but maybe what you're saying isn't right. I don't know because, like you said, I don't have inside information on the industry. Again, that's why the comment section is here, is to discuss.

@bpomber what I’m saying came from actual reports that the Series S is easier to produce (I mean, should be obvious just by looking at the price.) Or course demand is likely lower than the Series X, still actually sold S units in the UK have been reported to match the sold units for the X. So demand is lower, but not “low” by any stretch of the imagination.

@Tharsman I think Series S is selling on par with Series X because the Series X and PS5 aren't readily available. Only Series S has had somewhat consistent supply. Stock for X/PS5 has only just recently been picking up in stores. Once they are more readily available I don't see Series S coming close to Series X or PS5 in sold units. Given the option when all consoles are readily available, most people wouldn't choose Series S unless they were on a tight budget or they had little to no knowledge on what each console was so they just choose the cheapest one (which bring me back to the example in my very first comment about the Grandma).

It would be interesting to come back to this topic in a year or two and see where demand and sales are for Series S after the Series X and PS5 (hopefully) have more supply. Maybe I'll be wrong and many people will actually choose Series S, but I'd be surprsied.

@bpomber that's hilarious but in all honesty I can't knock anyone who bought a Series S. I know a lot of parents especially single moms on a budget were able to get one for their kids during the 2020 holiday.

@bpomber

most people wouldn't choose Series S unless they were on a tight budget

Welcome to 2022? I mean, of course if given the choice, anyone would prefer a XSX over an XSS (unless they have space issues in a tiny apartment, something I seen as a reason.) I also would drive a Lexus LS instead of a Toyota Corolla, but budget is always a reason for any purchase.

@bpomber yeah whenever they do reviews on this site they always review the series X version & don't bother with the S & when theirs comparisons between ps5 & series consoles it's always the X asif the S doesn't exist lol

@Tharsman I agree, budget is important for any major purchase. I think a portion of the market having smaller budgets is the main reason Microsoft even manufactures the Series S. Took us a while to agree on a point, but we got there lol

But that doesn't change my point about Series S not being the console that people really care about and want.

@bpomber again, you are jumping onto extremes. It’s a $300 machine ($250 right now) that can play games like Resident Evil Village that are exclusive to this gen. It’s a tier system, and some people value their money more than pixel count or frame rate.

It’s like all the people last gen that would buy an Xbox One S or a PS4 Slim over an Xbox One X or PS4 Pro: it’s affordable and good enough to get the job done. A lot of people just care about that.

Also, if I was a parent with multiple children, you bet I would be buying them all Series S consoles and not Series X ones.

@bpomber
So, why would you buy a Series X if you only have a small 1080p or less TV and don't need to have blu-ray?

I have two series x for my "gaming setup" on two large 4K TVs. I bought a series S for an old 1080p TV I have. Saved me $100 and the TV can't really take advantage of the Series X anyhow.

@Tharsman Once again, I agree.

I'm just saying that Series S is not the preferred console when people are given a choice, it's what people (such as the parent with multiple children, in your example) settle for when they can't afford what they really want.

But yeah there are some examples where someone would choose Series S over Series X willingly, but I don't think it's all too common. I think Microsoft made a smart move by recognizing that and manufacturing the Series S to take advantage of that. It became even smarter of a move after it became so hard to manufacture Series X and PS5, because then Microsoft had the only next gen console that was readily available.

But just because people can afford Series S doesn't mean that's the one they really want and care about. But speaking of "extremes", I can use your extreme car example back on you. I can afford a Toyota Corolla (which is why I have one lol) but my budget doesn't allow me to comfortably own a Lexus. But really, I want the Lexus and that's the car that is a lot more appealing to me.

@NeoRatt You could've saved a lot more money than $100 by only buying one Xbox rather than three.

Joking aside, I recognize that Series S is a good option in situations like yours, read my other comments if you really want to know my thoughts. But situations like that I don't think are very common (if it is common to own 3 Xbox's then I am very out of touch with reality, even more so than people on this site think I am).

@bpomber No way. It's what people buy when they see no reason to spend more on the Series X. It's nearly 2023 and no Xbox exclusives have made the Series X a compelling option.

@Tharsman Don't rule out the appeal of form factor.

So much discourse over a plastic box. It's great for the price though.

I hope the elite controller 2 goes on sale

I have an X for the LG OLED TV in the family room and an S for my TV in the study. It is a great little machine for a great price that can take advantage of what game pass has to offer. When the family is watching TV on our main TV or the kids are playing the switch I can just play it in the other room. I also sneak and may play an hour here or there during work hours. Got to get that one hour of quiet quitting a day!

I'd grab one if it had a disc drive, or if I didn't already have a somewhat comparable PC build. $250 is an insane value for the hardware.

@bpomber "it's what people (such as the parent with multiple children, in your example) settle for when they can't afford what they really want."

I mean... yeah. It's a budget console. Of course people would go for the Series X if they were close in price. But they're not, and a lot of people will find it easier to justify investing in new gaming hardware if it's hundreds of dollars cheaper.

It's pretty rich to say "nobody cares" about this console when it constitutes roughly half of the current gen Xbox consoles on the market and almost single-handedly helped Microsoft remain viable at retail during the worst stretches of the pandemic-era supply shortages.

@Ralizah so we agree on that first point then.

And clearly you've read my other comments but I guess you conveniently skipped over the part where I addressed your last point. First, I shouldn't have said "nobody cares". Second, if Series X and PS5 were readily available, then I really don't think Series S would constitute roughly half of the Xboxs currently in the market. Series S has been relatively available for the past 2 years, Series X not so much.

@bpomber That's fair, but also unfalsifiable at present.

IMO, without supply constraints, Series X would have sold better initially (since early adopters tend to be enthusiasts), but you'd likely see sales of the Series S pick up steam over the course of the generation as Xbox caught on more with casual gamers and/or people who only want one to play a couple of games not available on PS5/Switch.

There's a place on the market for the device, even if isn't something that makes enthusiasts weak in the knees. Aside from people who bought SS early on because of SX unavailability, they're broadly targeting different demographics.

It may not be your device of choice, but it is both a very good deal for the price as well as a legitimate option for modern gen gaming in its own right.

@Ralizah Yeah my point is 100% unfalsifiable but so is yours. Like I said in another comment, I could be completely wrong about what I'm saying but I also could be right. I'm just saying my thoughts based on what I've experienced over the last 2 years of the new generation of gaming. In a few years once all 3 of Series S, Series X, and PS5 are (hopefully) readily available is when we can actually guage how well the Series S will do in the market.

Series S is for sure a good deal for what it is. But I think it's still not the console that most people really want. That's all I'm saying.

@bpomber Well, to be fair, at present neither modern Xbox console is the one that most people really want. PS5 has consistently outsold it, and Switch continues to be an unstoppable sales juggernaut. Maybe that'll change when Microsoft finally starts releasing games this gen. We'll see.

"Yeah my point is 100% unfalsifiable but so is yours." Which part? That Series X probably would have sold better initially without the supply constraints? I agree, that's unknowable. What we do know is that the Series S saved Microsoft at retail. How it continues to fare now that Series X is much more available remains to be seen, but I'd be shocked if it doesn't constitute at least half of the total Xbox console sales this gen, given it'll be heavily flogged on holidays and will likely appeal more to casual gamers who buy all of their games digitally regardless and don't notice or care about the technical aspects that enthusiasts tend to obsess over.

@Ralizah yeah I agree PS5 has been the console of choice for the most part since Xbox has been lacking games. But I wasn't going to say that on an Xbox site, I've already got enough people coming after me for my comments.

"likely see sales of the Series S pick up steam over the course of the generation as Xbox caught on more with casual gamers" is what I'm saying is also unfalsifiable.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this generation plays out. There's been no shortage of great games so far this generation and there's lots more in store, so between all the games and the increased console supply, it should be an interesting next few years.

Who cars about the weakest current generation Series S?? Perhaps children? All true gamers are going after Series X & PS5. They should do a price drop on the true current gen Series X.

I just can’t think of myself playing most games at 1080/60 ! Plague Tale: Requiem plays poorly on S.

@BAMozzy Actually, you don't have to buy through MS. Xbox allows you buy cheap digital key of sites like Green Man Gaming and instant gaming.

@AverageGamer Which are 'sold' by MS to those sites so they still get money and you are still locked to buying new and buying Digital - you can't exactly 'sell' your games on Ebay to recuperate some costs or buy used - especially with multiple generations of OLD games playable on Series S. If you owned an older Xbox, your disc based games would need to be repurchased to play.

All in all, it 'limits' people to buying 'new' and not being able to 'sell' their used games either - both of which 'helps' MS to recuperate their losses on Hardware. Fewer people buying used games because fewer are 'sold', much less option to shop around as a LOT of games don't have 'digital keys' available to buy elsewhere and you'll still need a Subscription to maximise your Console - all of which 'helps' MS to recuperate their loss over time.

That's not including all those PC and Cloud gamers who are not starting from a loss with MS so they also 'help' to offset losses. If you are selling 1m consoles a month and lose $100 on each, that's $100m loss that needs to be recovered through Games, through Sub Services, through Accessories to be 'profitable'.

Great move on Microsoft's part. This thing will sell like crazy this Holiday Season.

I recently got a Series X and am now saving for a descent 4K tv. I debated getting the Series S, but ultimately it came down to a couple of factors: firstly when I do finally upgrade my TV I will get the benefits of the Series X. Secondly the disc drive. If I got the Series S I would have had to keep my One S set up to play my disc games. Thirdly, physical games drop massively in price in general, so I can take advantage of those when they turn up. Finally the fact that it is also a 4K/Blu Ray player is another bonus on top. However, for the price (and if you have been mostly digital on Xbox since last generation) then the Series S is a good machine. I just wanted to get the best system available.

Funny, I decided to finally get that second XBox for the living room and go for a Series S, Best Buy is out of stock for shipping. I would have to go pick from a local store. They do have stock for that. On Xbox I buy all my games digitally, plus Game Pass, so the S would be great there, especially since the kind of games I am more likely to play on that TV are 2D games like Pentiment or Vampire Survivors. Might buy from Amazon instead.

Edit: Nevermind that.... Amazon is also sold out of the $250 Holiday package... So much for "nobody cares". Target does seem to have it, and i get an additional $50 gift card, so technically ends up being $200... so long as I find something I was regardless going to buy from Target.

Edit 2: by the time I went to check out they did not have it for shipping on Target... accidentally ordered for pickup. Oh well, will just have to take a drive to Target later today.

It's a Christmas miracle!

@bpomber majority of my friends got a Series S for the price point & Gamepass. It's a great system. See there's a long list of responses above but for the majority of gamers the base model is plenty enough, especially if new to Xbox with no discs they could use backwards compatibility. I've got a Series X but happy it helps more of my friends join the ecosystem.

@Tharsman I've got almost the entire Castlevania saga digitally on Xbox, worth checking it out on the store once you land an S and also, if you're into those type of games!

@Tharsman still going on about my comment. Sorry it offended you so much.

@Kilamanjaro that's good! I'm glad they're enjoying it! Like I've said, that's different from what I've experienced personally. But it's good to see there's a console that's been a lot more available that people can enjoy.

My "nobody cares" comment is part of a joke. If everything in this world was taken so literally, like users on this site took the joke literally, then there would be no joking around or comedy existent.

I didn't think so many people would get so defensive about my original comment that was a joke.

Yes, Series S serves it's purpose and does that well. But I'm my experience, it's not the console people really want, for the most part.

@bpomber you are not the only one that brings that up all the time, so no, it's not going on about your specific comment. It's not that its "offensive", simply verifiably wrong.

Edit: come on... you know very well you did not mean it as a joke. Hyperbole at best. If it was a "joke" you would not had tried to clarified the stance several times.

@Tharsman I had to clarify so many times because people couldn't take the joke. I've said multiple times that I don't actually mean "nobody cares" and I've said multiple times that how I see it could be completely wrong. We'll have to wait a few years until all consoles are readily available to accurately determine the demand for each them.

Obviously we don't know each other so to be fair, you wouldn't know this, but I don't talk about what a grandma buys their grandchild seriously. It's a joke.

Edit: You are right about it being a hyperbole, though. But it's also a joke. The two aren't mutually exclusive. It's a hyperbolic joke.