After anticipating it in the past few weeks, now it's official: yes, there is a price increase for Xbox home video games. The announcement came during the Spanish evening, with Microsoft psychologically preparing users. From 2023 the prices of individual software intended for the console will increase in price, thus aligning with the cost of Sony's first party games and those produced by Ubisoft and Electronic Arts, which have already raised their prices since the beginning of the generation.
At the moment an updated price list has not yet been published, but in the USA, for example, the games will go from the classic 60 Dollars to costing ten more. This price change will go live starting next year when new Xbox first parties like RedFall, Starfield, and the new Forza Motorsport launch. At the moment the consoles and services related to them, such as the Game Pass, will not suffer the same price increase, at least for now.
The announcement came just weeks after Phil Spencer made a statement at a Wall Street Journal event. On that occasion, the Head of Microsoft Gaming declared that no one could possibly rule out price increases for the entire Xbox ecosystem. Spencer said he thought the holiday price increase unlikely. The new policy regarding the cost of video games is in fact postponed to next year, after the holidays. So promise kept.
"This price reflects the content, size and technical complexity of these games," said a Microsoft representative to IGN. Of course, this price increase won't change one iota distribution methods: all the exclusives produced by Microsoft's first parties will still be available in Xbox Game Pass. Keep following Game Division for all the news and upcoming announcements from the world of video games.
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