Microsoft has decided to increase the price of its Xbox Series X and Xbox Game Pass in certain locations. This comes as the company wants to adjust prices to reportedly "reflect the competitive conditions" of the market.
Microsoft to Raise Prices of Xbox Series X and Xbox Game Pass Except in Certain Locations
According to the story by The Verge, the decision by Microsoft to raise prices will be implemented in August for most countries except a few. The countries that won't be affected by the price hike are reportedly the US, Chile, Japan, Columbia, and Brazil.
Aside from the mentioned locations, other countries would experience varying price hikes for the Xbox Series X. Aside from the console, the company will also be increasing the price of its Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
While subscribers of the Xbox Game Pass previously had to pay $9.99 for the subscription, the new pricing would be increasing that price to $10.99. Xbox head of communications Kari Perez gave a statement to The Verge regarding the situation.
The Company has Long Been Contemplating Raising Its Prices
According to Perez, Microsoft has long been maintaining the prices of its consoles for years, and now, they need to increase the prices to "reflect the competitive conditions in each market." However, Microsoft wasn't the first company to raise prices.
Sony also announced in 2022 that it would increase the prices of its PS5. Microsoft's Xbox Series X is expected to experience varying increases in different countries.
For example, buyers in the UK will see an increase from £479.99 to €549.99 for the Xbox Series X for "most European markets." In Canada, buyers will also experience a price hike for the console to CAD $649.99, while in Australia, buyers will purchase the console for AUD $799.99.
The New Price Applies to the Xbox Series X and Not the Xbox Series S
The new price implementations are expected to go live on August one. However, this is only applicable to the Xbox Series X, as Microsoft notes that the Xbox Series S pricing will remain unchanged.
For Xbox Series S buyers, the console would still be available at its standard $299.99 pricing. The decision by Microsoft follows that by Sony, which already raised the prices of its PlayStation 5 in 2022, as detailed in its official blog post.
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Microsoft Also Increases the Price for Its Xbox Game Pass
However, there were already earlier signs that Microsoft wanted to increase its prices. In October, for example, Phil Spencer, the chief of Xbox, hinted that the subscription prices wouldn't hold on forever, as also explained further in an article by IGN.
The Xbox Game Pass prices are expected to implement much sooner on July 6. The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will reach $16.99 from $14.99 monthly, while the Xbox Game Pass for Console will increase to $10.99 from $9.99.
The only pricing that will remain unchanged is the PC Game Pass.
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