While Microsoft did not increase prices for gaming consoles like Sony, the gaming giant just announced a massive announcement. The Xbox Series X and Game Pass subscription will cost more soon.
This change will affect all regions except the United States, Japan, and more. Game Pass has increased to $10.99 from $9.99, while Game Pass Ultimate now costs $16.99.
Why It Matters: Console users are used to price cuts after a few years. However, the latest generation has reversed, with both manufacturers increasing prices after two years.
This news was announced by the head of communications at Xbox, Kari Perez, who stated:
“We’ve held on our prices for consoles for many years and have adjusted the prices to reflect the competitive conditions in each market.”
The price change applies only to the Series X console, while the more affordable Xbox Series S will retain its price tag of $300.
Following the price hike, the Xbox Series X will cost £479.99, increasing by around £30 in the UK. Other regions like Australia and Canada have seen similar price bumps, with the console now costing AUD$ 799.99 and CAD$ 649.99.
Last year, Sony increased the price of the PlayStation 5 due to global inflation, prompting a response from Phil Spencer. He stated that Xbox would not immediately follow suit with their consoles, but a price hike would be inevitable.
The price hike also coincides with the recent news that Microsoft has stopped developing games for last-gen Xbox consoles, focusing exclusively on Series X|S consoles. Gamers now considering the current-gen console may be surprised to encounter a price increase.
The price increase for Game Pass could be attributed to Microsoft’s expansion of the games library, including their big first-party titles like Starfield. Earlier statements claimed that Game Pass pricing would not change due to the Activision Blizzard merger, but Microsoft has decided to move before the merger closes.
While Sony is reportedly working on a mid-gen refresh of the PlayStation 5 console, Microsoft has previously stated that they consider the Xbox Series X a mid-gen refresh, ruling out the possibility of releasing a more powerful console variant.
The price adjustment will take effect on July 6, so fans can purchase Game Pass or the Xbox Series X console before.
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