Microsoft recently revealed its plan to raise the prices of Xbox Series X and its subscription serivce Xbox Game Pass, which has surprised a lot gamers. This price hike has spurred conversations and debates among gamers, raising concerns about the reasons behind these price increases and their possible impact on gamers. Let’s go into the specifics of Microsoft’s recent Xbox price increases, and look into the reasons given by Microsoft.
Reason For Xbox Price Increases?
Several factors, according to Microsoft, have contributed to the decision to raise the cost to gamers. One major cause is the rising expense of game creation. Developers confront greater production costs as games get more sophisticated and complicated, including the rising cost of licensing technology and the need to recruit and keep top staff through competitive compensation.
The gaming industry has witnessed a surge in the complexity of games, driven by the growing popularity of open-world experiences, multiplayer gaming, and the demand for more realistic graphics. These advancements require significant investments in research, development, and technical resources, leading to increased production costs.
Furthermore, Microsoft emphasized the need to keep up with market competition. Sony had already raised the price of PlayStation 5 games to $70, and it is expected that Nintendo will follow suit in the near future. To maintain competitive positioning, Microsoft deemed it necessary to adjust its pricing structure accordingly.
Xbox Price increases is not only to the subscrption service but to the console as well. In most regions you can expect to see a price increase for the Xbox Series X alone as the Xbox Series S Price will remain untouched. This still gives gamers in those regions a low cost entry into the Xbox ecosystem.
As of August 1, the Xbox Series X’s MSRP will be £480 in the United Kingdom, €550 in numerous European markets, CAD $650 in Canada, and AUD $800 in Australia.
Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, on the other hand, will see a worldwide price rise beginning July 6. In the United States, the monthly fee for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will rise from $15 to $17, while the regular Xbox Game Pass subscription will rise from $10 to $11. PC Game Pass pricing will stay unchanged, and if you’re already a monthly Game Pass user, these new changes will take effect on August 13, or September 13 if you live in Germany.
