Soon, we will see a price increase for the Xbox Series X and the company’s subscription service, Game Pass, in most countries. Microsoft will exempt Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Japan, and the U.S. from the increase for the console. Game Pass will also not change in some countries, including Chile, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, and Saudi Arabia. The subscription service – both the standard tier and Ultimate – will see a price hike for the first time.
The Xbox Series X will be on par with the PlayStation 5 in many countries after Sony increased the price of its current-gen console last year. For example, in some countries, Series X will go to £479.99 in the U.K., €549.99 in most European countries, $649.99 in Canada, and $799.99 in Australia. The Series S will not have any price adjustment to maintain its affordable charm at $299.99. This news comes weeks after the Xbox Showcase, in which it showed off a black 1TB Series S for $349.99.
The price for the console versions of Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate will increase in many of these countries on July 6. The standard console tier will go from $9.99 to $10.99 (£8.99 or €10.99). Ultimate will move to $16.99 (£12.99 or €14.99) from its former price of $14.99. Game Pass PC will retain its current price.
Xbox Series X and Game Pass See Increased Prices in Most Countries
The changes come due to “market conditions” of some countries. Microsoft told The Verge that the decision had nothing to do with the attempt to acquire Activision-Blizzard, which is quite costly at $68.7 billion and became more expensive and time-consuming due to legal battles to get it seen through.
The price hike for Xbox Series X and Game Pass will come before the company releases two heavy hitters. In September, Starfield will release as Bethesda’s first new in-house-developed IP in over 20 years. In October, Forza Motorsport will release, giving another boost to Xbox after its continuous fight to deliver first-party games after years of criticism on that front.