Microsoft confirmed it's increasing the price of the Xbox Series X console in a multitude of countries as part of a move intended to better "reflect the competitive conditions" in the markets affected by the adjustment. This development dovetails with a string of Xbox Series S price increases that the company started introducing across the globe since early 2023.
After some of the world's largest economies exhibited signs of weaker growth throughout 2022, many goods and service providers started raising their prices in anticipation of a global recession. The first such move in the gaming space came in the form of Sony's decision to increase the PS5 prices in multiple countries back in August 2022. Microsoft soon followed suit by adjusting the pricing of the Xbox Series S in India and Sweden, among several other markets.
In a recent statement provided to The Verge, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed that the company now intends to follow up on that move by raising the prices of the Xbox Series X across the vast majority of markets wherein the console is presently available. The adjustment that will go into effect this August will see Microsoft hike the price of its most powerful current-gen console by up to 10%, upping it to CAD $649.99 in Canada, £479.99 in the UK, AUD $799.99 in Australia, and €549.99 in the EU. The US will be exempt from the pricing changes, as will Brazil, Chile, Columbia, and Japan. That said, Japan already saw an Xbox Series X/S price increase back in January 2023.
Countries Exempt from the August 2023 Xbox Series X Price Increase
- Brazil
- Chile
- Colombia
- Japan
- United States
According to Microsoft's support pages, the Xbox Series X is currently officially sold in 41 markets, meaning that this price hike will affect 36 of them. The move itself is ostensibly meant to bring parity between the pricing of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 across the world.
Back when Sony first made the PS5 more expensive, Xbox boss Phil Spencer was quick to vow that the company won't raise its console prices for the time being. But since this newly announced adjustment will see it mirror Sony's move only a year later, that promised period of frozen Xbox Series X prices will end up being shorter than some consumers might have hoped for.
Microsoft also confirmed it will soon be raising the prices of Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for the first time ever. Starting July 2023, the basic tier of the service will cost $10.99 per month, up from $9.99. Meanwhile, the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription will rise to $16.99, a 13.5% increase compared to its current monthly fee of $14.99. The adjustment will also likely affect the pricing of the Friends and Family plan, a special subscription tier equivalent to five Xbox Game Pass Ultimate memberships. This particular service is currently only available in eight markets at the price that's marginally more affordable than paying for two Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions.
Source: The Verge