Anyone who owns an Xbox Series X/S and is interested in the upcoming exclusive games for the platform will have to dig deeper into their pockets when buying it in the future. Microsoft has now confirmed a price increase for the new first-party games.
Everything gets more expensive! This also officially applies to Microsoft’s first-party games, because you’ll have to shell out more money for them in the future. Accordingly, Microsoft will raise the prices for its own new exclusive titles in 2023 from $59.99 to $69.99 at the start of sales. After this IGN was the first to report on corresponding plans, Microsoft has meanwhile opposed this Polygon also confirmed. It can be assumed that a corresponding price adjustment will then also be carried out in local areas.
Turn 10 Studios’ Forza Motorsport, Arkane’s Redfall and Bethesda’s sci-fi epic Starfield will be the first new exclusives to be impacted by the price increase. These are all confirmed for 2023.
A statement said the price increase “reflects the content, scope and technical complexity of these titles.” At the same time, reference was also made in this context to the Xbox Game Pass, after all, all games would still be included at no additional cost in the course of the game subscription on Xbox consoles and for Windows PC.
A Microsoft spokesman further emphasized that the price increase will be delayed until after Christmas so that families can still enjoy and use “the gift of gaming” during the Christmas holidays as usual. The new titles in 2023 will then start with a recommended price of just under $70 on all platforms.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer had already hinted at a possible price increase in October. Although hardware and software prices as well as the price for the Xbox Game Pass game subscription have been kept constant so far, he didn’t believe even then “that you could do that forever”.
The bottom line is that Microsoft is now in a category with other major publishers such as Sony Interactive Entertainment, Ubisoft and Take-Two Interactive. They are already selling their titles at the stated price in the United States anyway.
The Elite Series 2 controller is now available in the Xbox Design Lab from $139.99. The Xbox Design Lab lets you customize the look and feel of your controller.
