Walmart and Target have recently been playing with an Xbox Series X discount priced at $349, marking a $150 reduction from the MSRP and surpassing Black Friday offerings.
While these have swiftly sold out (depending on location), Microsoft has now also introduced its own discount on the console, though it's not as substantial.
Priced at $399.99, Microsoft's latest offer on the Xbox Series X provides a $100 saving on the console, aligning closely with the best Black Friday deals retailers like Amazon observed a few weeks ago.
Xbox unveiled the new discount on its official Twitter/X page, mere weeks after implementing a $50 reduction during the Black Friday sales. This new deal now surpasses the previous discount, ranging between $100 and $150 depending on the retailer.
'Tis the season for powering your dreams ?
— Xbox (@Xbox) December 13, 2023
Grab an Xbox Series X now for only $399.99: https://t.co/y1qhqOotT1 pic.twitter.com/D3dTywmGjv
Other notable Xbox discounts right now include Xbox Wireless Controllers for $45 at Walmart (including special edition gamepads and a $19 saving overall vs. MSRP). Target also has an Xbox Elite Series 2 Core Controller for $106.99 right now as well.
Microsoft has not disclosed the duration of the $399.99 Xbox Series X deal just yet; however, given its characterization as a "holiday" offer, it is reasonable to assume that it will be available for a limited time throughout the remainder of 2023. It is also an offer exclusive to the US.
The company has also recently stopped announcing Xbox console sales, a move some believe was at least in part because they compare poorly to sales of PlayStation consoles and Nintendo Switch. But according to one Xbox executive, that has nothing to do with it.
It’s no secret that Microsoft has lost the console war, but the scale of Xbox’s collapse in Europe in particular is stark. According to fresh data reported by GI.biz, Sony’s PlayStation 5 is “comfortably” number one in Europe, with sales up an incredible 143% over October last year.
The near seven-year-old Nintendo Switch is second despite a 20% drop in sales year-on-year. But the Xbox Series X and S have seen a whopping 52% drop in sales.
But, it seems the Xbox console business is still important to Microsoft, amid commitments to pump out more exclusives from its huge first-party studios network amid plans to launch mid-gen refreshes of both the Xbox Series X and S at some point in 2024.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
