They say there's no such thing as bad publicity. Microsoft may have some thoughts on that cliche, since the tech giant had a rough week recently. Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox controller prices all spiked and Microsoft confirmed games will increase in price later this year.

Meanwhile, a Microsoft project manager mocked Windows 11 publicly and Bing received a backhanded compliment after people were paid to use the search engine and determined "Bing was not as bad as [they] thought it was."

The Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and a wave of Xbox controllers are now much more expensive. Microsoft announced the price increases for hardware and confirmed that some games will go up in price later this year.

In addition to disappointing fans by raising prices, Microsoft also gave up its value proposition. An Xbox Series S is now more expensive than a PlayStation 5 Slim Digital when comparing models with the same amount of storage.

I saw several jokes online about how Xbox Series X consoles purchased a few years ago are now classed as appreciating assets.

With former Xbox exclusives increasingly becoming available on other platforms and the recent price increases on all Xbox consoles, it's difficult to recommend an Xbox to anyone right now.

Google uses monopolistic practices to leverage dominance in search in other markets, according to a recent Department of Justice (DOJ) filing. The tech giant was accused of robbing businesses and consumers of "their right to choose among competing services," according to the filing.

As Google sits in court over the claims, researchers shared findings from a study that appear to back up the DOJ's statements.

The study, titled Sources of Market Power in Web Search: Evidence from a Field Experiment, paid people to use Bing for two weeks. The participants were then given the choice to stick with Bing or go back to Google.

Around 22% of participants continued to use Bing. The academics behind the study also noticed that many do not switch away from whichever search engine is set as default, which is a core element of the ongoing DOJ case.

A Microsoft project manager drew criticism recently after mocking Windows 11. Merill Fernando took to X to share a meme about how returning to macOS after using Windows 11 was similar to going to space and returning to Earth.

While I credit the use of the Katy Perry meme, I was a bit surprised to see a Microsoft employee criticize Windows 11 so publicly. That being said, the internet backlash over the post was overblown in my opinion.

Each week our experts take a look at the latest gadgets, games, and accessories. Recently, our team reviewed the ASUS ROG Strix OLED 27 gaming monitor, which earned a perfect score. We also spent time with the Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition and updated our reviews of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S to reflect the recent price increases for the consoles.

Amazon Gaming Week may have wrapped up, but there are still some great deals. For example, one of the hottest laptop deals of the week was available at Walmart, not Amazon. A deal on the MSI Thin 15 discounts the laptop to $699.

Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 930, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.