Xbox Series X May Cost Rs 60,000: Would You Pay So Much For Microsoft's New Gaming Console?

Xbox Series X has seen plenty of leaks and discussions around its potential pricing, but speculations about how much it would eventually cost refuse to die down. While Microsoft’s patience game with Sony is largely to be blamed for it, there have been plenty of sources claiming to have insider information about how much would the next generation gaming console from Microsoft actually cost – and most of them put the price of an Xbox Series X gaming console at somewhere in the vicinity of the Rs 40,000 price mark. Now, a new leak, courtesy of an Xbox-based advertorial contest in South Africa by potato crisp brand Pringles (of all sources), has made a rather extreme suggestion – the price of an Xbox Series X may be as high as $815, or almost Rs 60,000.

Not only would it make the Xbox Series X the most expensive Microsoft gaming console yet, but pretty much the most expensive mainstream gaming console of all brands. The leaked pricing estimate has come from a promo contest that Pringles is marketing, which claims to give away one Xbox Series X console each day, for 46 days. The brand has revealed in its fine print that the overall value of the giveaway will be 621,000 South African Rand, which equates to about Rs 27.3 lakh. Given that a total of 46 consoles will be given away, this pegs the value of each Xbox Series X console to around Rs 60,000.

It would be a bit of a surprise if Microsoft actually makes its next generation gaming console this expensive. In recent times, Microsoft and Sony are seemingly playing a waiting game with each other to see who reveals the pricing first. Most rumours have suggested that the Sony PlayStation 5 may cost about $599 (approx. Rs 44,000), and Microsoft may undercut Sony’s console by about $100. This, in turn, would make the Xbox Series X cost about $499 (approx. Rs 37,000). Given that the Xbox One X has so far sold at around the Rs 30,000 mark in India, this may still qualify as an acceptable premium that gamers would pay for the performance upgrade that this console promises.

However, it will be a bit shocking if the console ends up costing as high as Rs 60,000. In a market that is already in a down phase due to the economic impact of Covid-19, it is unlikely for buyers to splurge exorbitantly on gaming hardware that will be surplus to the requirements of most casual gamers.