Xbox has announced it will be raising its first-party titles from $60 to $70 starting next year. This price increase is similar to that which we have already seen from the likes of PlayStation.
Xbox games including Forza Motorsport, Redfall, and the highly anticipated Starfield will all cost $69.99 when they launch. Pricing for specific regions is unknown however, it is expected that the price increase will be seen across the board.
Xbox CEO Phil Spencer has spoken on the matter of price increases in the past when PlayStation upped the price of not only games but also its PS5 console. At this time Xbox remained at the same price with Spencer noting that Xbox was holding the price of their consoles and games. However, he had anticipated that they would not be able to do this forever but keeping prices set for the holiday season was important.
Game Pass just became even better value for money
The price hike for first-party games is intended to start in 2023, so it would appear that Spencer was correct in his previous statement and Xbox has stuck to its word that prices would at least remain the same for the rest of this year. This will be disappointing news for some, as the prices of games can already seem steep, but given inflation prices this move was an expected one.
Microsoft commented that “This price reflects the content, scale, and technical complexity of these titles. As with all games developed by our teams at Xbox, they will also be available with Game Pass the same day they launch”.
Given the price increase, this does make Xbox’s Game Pass subscription even more lucrative. Game Pass Ultimate is priced at $14.99 a month and with many games such as Starfield expected to drop onto the service, it’s a great way to expand your gaming catalogue and gain access to those new releases which soon, will have an even bigger price tag.
Paige Cook is a writer with a multi-media background. She has experience covering video games and technology and also has freelance experience in video editing, graphic design, and photography. Paige is a massive fan of the movie industry and loves a good TV show, if she is not watching something interesting then she's probably playing video games or buried in a good book. Her latest addiction is virtual photography and currently spends far too much time taking pretty pictures in games rather than actually finishing them.