Prices For The Xbox Series X And Game Pass Are Going Up To Match The PS5

Microsoft will raise the cost of its all the more impressive Xbox Series X control center in specific nations all over the planet and increment the expense of a month to month Game Pass Extreme membership by $2, it affirmed in a proclamation to The Edge. The increases follow Sony’s similar move in 2022 with the PlayStation 5.

The disc-only Xbox Series X will still cost $500 in the United States, but from August 1, it will cost €550 in Europe, $650 in Canada, and $800 in Australia. The price of Game Pass will increase worldwide on July 6 from $10 to $11 and from $15 to $17 for Game Pass Ultimate. The monthly fee for PC Game Pass, where Microsoft has recently gained the most subscribers, will remain $10. The announcement comes as Microsoft gets ready to release Starfield day-and-date on Game Pass and settle a legal dispute with the Federal Trade Commission regarding its plans to acquire Activision Blizzard.

Kari Perez, head of communications for Xbox, said in a statement to The Verge, “We’ve held on to our prices for many years and have adjusted the prices to reflect the competitive conditions in each market.” These Game Pass price adjustments are intended to match local market conditions and have nothing to do with the Activision Blizzard deal.

Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, gave hints that these price increases were coming in October. He stated to The Verge at the time, “We’ve held price on our console, we’ve held price on games, and our subscription.” We won’t be able to continue doing that, in my opinion. The cheaper Xbox Series S was marked down to just $250 for the holiday last year, but now it’s back at its full $300 price. “I do think at some point we’ll have to raise some prices on certain things…” Redfall and Starfield, two new Xbox blockbusters, have been increased to the $70 price point that is quickly becoming the norm for “next-gen” releases. And Microsoft recently announced a new, more expensive Carbon Black Xbox Series S with a 1TB SSD for $350, rather than offering a better console at a lower price.

Even though Starfield’s release in September may temporarily lessen the bitter taste, the increased cost of Game Pass will be more difficult for some players to accept. In the streaming industry, similar subscription services like Netflix, Max, and Disney+ have all increased their prices in the past year. In addition, PlayStation Plus, Sony’s own competitor program, introduced additional, more expensive tiers in 2022 that, according to the company, are as popular as the base subscription.