Microsoft to launch its Xbox Series X console on November 10 for $499, with preorders starting on September 22

Microsoft is launching its Xbox Series X console on November 10th for $499. Preorders for the new console will begin on September 22nd, with the company also offering …

The Verge 2020-09-10 Tom Warren

Context & Ripple Effects

This confirms yesterday's leaked $499 price and November 10 date, moving Microsoft's next-gen console from rumor to a preorder date of September 22. The $499 tag is deliberate symmetry with Microsoft's last flagship launch, when the Xbox One X shipped worldwide at $499 three years earlier.

The placement matters because the same coverage has the smaller Xbox Series S arriving alongside it, making this a two-SKU entry into the holiday season rather than a single premium box.

First-order effects

Buyers get a concrete September 22 preorder date and a $499 flagship price heading into the holidays, ending the speculation window the leak opened.
Microsoft commits publicly to the $499 figure one day after sources reported it, locking its holiday line-up before competitors finalize their own next-gen pricing.

Second-order effects

Rival console makers planning their own launches now have a published $499 benchmark for the premium tier, forcing their pricing decisions against a fixed number rather than a guess.
With Series S launching simultaneously at a lower tier, Microsoft pressures the mid-market segment where cheaper consoles and streaming devices compete for the same holiday spend.

Third-order effects

The 2024 follow-up — a $450 discless Series X, a $600 2TB Galaxy Black edition, and a $350 Series S — shows where the two-SKU 2020 launch leads: console generations fragmenting into price ladders from roughly $350 to $600 within a single brand.
If the pattern holds, the flagship-plus-cheap-SKU structure becomes the industry template, with digital-only variants used to cut bill-of-materials costs mid-generation rather than waiting for a slim refresh.

The trend: Console launches are shifting from a single flagship per generation toward segmented multi-SKU ladders, with Microsoft's $499-plus-Series-S pairing as the template its own 2024 line-up later extended.

Discussion

Xbox Wire Xbox Wire on x
Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X Launch November 10, Starting at $24.99 a Month with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and EA Play
Xbox Wire Xbox Wire on x
Get EA Play with Xbox Game Pass for No Additional Cost
Xbox.com Phil Spencer on x
Xbox Series X — WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL CONSOLE — $499 (estimated retail price)
@yoda Drew Olanoff on x
my birthday is on november 9th so you know what to do https://twitter.com/...
@gregorymcfadden Gregory McFadden on x
Here we go... if Sony can launch the PS4 at $450 and digital version at $350-$400... It's gonna be exciting. https://twitter.com/...
@stevekovach Steve Kovach on x
I'm here for Console Wars season. Financing option very smart. Extremely curious how Sony responds with PS5 pricing, which I expect they'll announce after the PS4 event ends. https://twitter.com/...
@xbox @xbox on x
👀 Let's make it official! Xbox Series S | Next-gen performance in the ˢᵐᵃˡˡ ᵉˢᵗ Xbox ever. $299 (ERP). Looking forward to sharing more! Soon. Promise. https://twitter.com/...
@xboxuk Xbox UK on x
👀 Let's make it official! Xbox Series S | Next-gen performance in the 🔎 smallest 🔍 Xbox ever. £249.99 (ERP). Looking forward to sharing more! Soon. Promise. https://twitter.com/...
@geoffkeighley Geoff Keighley on x
A first look at Xbox Series S coming in November. Incredible $299 price for a next gen console, will open the market to even more gamers. https://twitter.com/...
@cohhcarnage Cohh Carnage on x
This is...wow. A $299 next-gen console coupled with Game Pass for a huge library of games (including new releases) will be an incredible value for the price. This is big for Xbox. Your move, Sony. 😮 https://twitter.com/...
@manyatruenerd Many A True Nerd on x
This is a really good offering when paired with Game Pass - an affordable next-gen option. But it desperately needs a re-brand, because Series S means nothing, and doesn't get that across at all. The average consumer would have no idea at a glance. It's Wii U all over again. http…
@kingabztv King Abz on x
Xbox really needs to win this console generation, imagine how more players and more eyes would benefit franchises like Gears and Halo. Xbox was on top in the 360/PS3 generation and that was the high point for Gears and Halo, can we get back there again? Let's wait and see. https:…
@m4tt Matt Brian on x
Xbox Series S at £249? Man, that's a cracking price. I still think we'll be a PlayStation 5 household but that's only going to help make next-gen gaming more affordable for all. https://www.engadget.com/...
@helbeer6 Helbee on x
That is kinda crazy cheap coupled with the gamepass 🤯 https://twitter.com/...
@alexhern Alex Hern on x
good idea: Microsoft immediately wins the price war, and further dominates value-conscious households with the All Access offering, growing the number of subscribers, which is clearly its chief goal
@alexhern Alex Hern on x
bad idea: Microsoft has doubled-down on its “no exclusives for a year” message and told would-be early adopters “here's the perfect second console for you; go out and buy the PS5 first and then pick this up when there are exclusives to play”.
@linustech @linustech on x
A whole gaming PC for the price of a graphics card... Your move, NVIDIA....... https://twitter.com/...
@kolology @kolology on x
This is a terrific price but a weird concept - a next-gen console that won't even do 4K. I guess it's a cheap version to keep the player base big until Series X gets more affordable? https://twitter.com/...
@tomwarren Tom Warren on x
Xbox Series S will be £249.99 in the UK https://twitter.com/...
@timgettys Tim Gettys on x
I love that this happened at 12:13 AM. This console launch cycle is INSANE. https://twitter.com/...
@zhugeex Daniel Ahmad on x
I like how the first next gen console to get an official price isn't the PS5 or the Series X, but the Series S console that was just officially announced today. https://twitter.com/...
Xbox Wire Xbox Wire on x
Brave the Vaults of the Ancients in September's Free Sea of Thieves Update
@xbox @xbox on x
This is the tweet... Xbox Series X: $499 (ERP) Xbox Series S: $299 (ERP) Release date: November 10 Pre-order starts September 22: https://news.xbox.com/... | #PowerYourDreams https://twitter.com/...
@matpiscatella Mat Piscatella on x
“Xbox All Access will be available at more retailers than before with the addition of GameStop...” This is great news for those potential buyers that rely on trade in credit and reselling games to fund new purchases, which remains a sizable market. https://news.xbox.com/...
@astaranx @astaranx on x
« With the next generation AMD RDNA 2 graphics architecture combined with the virtual memory multipliers enabled through the Xbox Velocity Architecture, Xbox Series S will deliver performance and experiences well beyond the raw specs. » #XboxSeriesS 🔒💚 https://news.xbox.com/...
@tomwarren Tom Warren on x
Microsoft was supposed to announce the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X pricing next week. Spencer says “but oh well” ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ https://twitter.com/...
@xboxp3 Phil Spencer on x
I know it's been a wait for price, date, pre-order date. Thanks to the community for their support and encouragement :-) Great to see the reactions, really proud of how the team handled the unscripted announce (was supposed to be next week but oh well...). Can't wait for launch. …
@jason_wilson @jason_wilson on x
And here we go: Xbox Series X for $500 Xbox Series S for $300 Game Pass Ultimate now has EA Play. Xbox ecosystem looking good as we await PlayStation 5 price and launch and its hook: exclusives Xbox doesn't have. https://twitter.com/...
@zhugeex Daniel Ahmad on x
Xbox All Access expanding to 12 countries for the Series X |S launch, including South Korea. - Lowers barrier to entry - No upfront costs - Single monthly fee includes console & Game Pass Ultimate Works out $60 cheaper on Series S to go with All Access https://news.xbox.com/... h…
@riotrmd Thomas Puha on x
S has same CPU as X. GPU is much closer to One X. Way less memory than Series X, so the idea is to drop texture resolution/quality and hope that makes up for the loss in available memory. Gonna be an interesting balancing act :) https://news.xbox.com/...
@kevinkenson Kevin Kenson on x
Man that leak just forced open the flood gates lol. There's a lot of good stuff here, game pass just keeps getting value adds. https://twitter.com/...
@tomwarren Tom Warren on x
Microsoft is detailing what's inside the Xbox Series S today: • same 3.6GHz CPU as Xbox Series X • full RDNA 2.0 support • 10GB of GDDR6 RAM • 512GB SSD • 3x GPU perf of Xbox One, 4x processing power Full details here: https://www.theverge.com/...
@jeffrubenstein Jeff Rubenstein on x
Mornin! ☕ Lots of Xbox news this AM 🎮 -Xbox next gen launches November 10 https://news.xbox.com/... -A deeper look at Xbox Series S https://news.xbox.com/... -@EA Play coming to @XboxGamePass https://news.xbox.com/... -Xbox All Access expanding to 12 countries https://news.xbox.c…
@majornelson Larry Hryb on x
📰Today we have some news to share: 🎮Xbox Series S @ $299 and Xbox Series X@499 launch November 10 https://news.xbox.com/... 💚❤ Get EA Play with Xbox Game Pass for no additional cost https://news.xbox.com/... 🟢Full detail on #XboxSeriesS https://news.xbox.com/...
@deejayknight @deejayknight on x
It's also genius that EA Play is coming to GamePass Ultimate. Cementing the value of GamePass in amazing fashion for a new console launch. https://twitter.com/...
@nisummers Nick Summers on x
The best deal in gaming just got better. Game Pass Ultimate ($14.99 PM) and PC ($4.99 PM) will soon include the basic version of EA Play, another subscription service that's worth about $4.99 PM on its own. https://twitter.com/...

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