Microsoft has announced a significant US $10 increase to the price of its Xbox video games, starting in 2023 with the launches of Forza Motorsport, Redfall, and Starfield. Where previously, games launched in the United States at US $60, they will now rise to US $70 – a change which may also be reflected in other global regions.
Microsoft did not specify how the change would impact other markets, however, it’s expected the price rise will be felt worldwide.
‘This price reflects the content, scale, and technical complexity of these titles,’ a Microsoft spokesperson told IGN. ‘As with all games developed by our teams at Xbox, they will also be available with Game Pass the same day they launch.’
Read: Xbox boss hints at price rise for consoles and games
Recently, fellow companies like Sony, Ubisoft, and Take-Two all announced similar price raises for their properties, in an effort to keep up with inflation. Microsoft held out the longest amongst its competitors, but as Microsoft Head of Gaming Phil Spencer recently said – the company can’t hold out forever.
‘We’ve held price on our console, we’ve held price on games… and our subscription. I don’t think we’ll be able to do that forever. I do think at some point we’ll have to raise the prices on certain things, but going into this holiday we thought it was important to maintain the prices,’ Spencer said in October.
As he noted, Xbox game prices will remain steady for the remainder of 2022, with the price rise only coming into play with the latest batch of new releases set for 2023. For now, it appears this increase will only impact games, and not Xbox consoles.
With inflation continuing to grow, thanks to fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and global economic hurdles, it’s likely these price rises will become a familiar part of the games industry. As many have noted, games are becoming more complicated to create, with larger and more talented teams involved. But despite the widened scope of game development, game prices have largely remained stagnant – not reflecting the effort and work that goes into them behind the scenes.
While a price rise presents difficulty to those already doing it tough, it may also provide some relief to developers, and those working within the games industry. We expect more news about regional Xbox game prices in the new year.
