Microsoft has just announced price increases across the globe for Xbox consoles and controllers, and the company also said some first-party titles might increase in price to $80 starting this holiday season. Unfortunately, it’s not a small jump; the price for many console models increased by at least 20 percent.
The lowest-priced console, the Xbox Series S 512GB model, is moving from $300 to $380, while the Xbox Series X is increasing to $600 from $500. If you want to snag the Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black SE model, start saving your pennies: it’s now an unbelievable $730. Xbox controllers will now start at $65, while the Xbox Wireless Headset will start at $120. However, the Xbox Adaptive Controller will remain the same price.
That’s quite a jump all around. There is a small silver lining: no price increases have been announced for Xbox Game Pass, and the increased game price will only apply to new titles launching this holiday season. All existing games should remain the same price. It also won’t affect all new games, although Microsoft hasn’t said which titles will see an increase.
These prices aren’t just for the United States, either. Microsoft says the change is global, with European and Australia also getting a hike.
Microsoft writes, “We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development. Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players.”
The announcement comes on the heels of similar news from Nintendo, with its first-party Nintendo Switch 2 games finding themselves the topic of public outcry. Microsoft also just posted its third-quarter earnings, showing increased revenue overall with much of that owed to Xbox Game Pass and other cloud services.
The higher prices will likely drive more players to the subscription services. Almost all first-party Xbox titles come to Game Pass on day one, and gamers on a budget will most likely be drawn to the service in order to play more games without dropping a small fortune each time a new title releases.
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