A Microsoft spokesman confirmed that the company doesn't have any plans to increase the retail price of Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S in any specific region for now.
Yesterday, Sony officially increased the retail prices for PlayStation 5 in most regions of the world, including Europe, the UK, Canada, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America. The new prices offer a 10% increase in Europe and over a 6% increase in the UK.
While the news made gamers worried about a similar move from Nintendo and Microsoft towards their hit gaming consoles, the American tech giant revealed that it will keep the Xbox Series X|S retail price as before for now.
When Windows Central approached Microsoft about whether the company would follow Sony's move to increase the retail prices for their new consoles, a Microsoft spokesman confirmed that the prices will remain as before and there would no plans for an increase in price for now.
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Such a move from Microsoft will surely leave the company in a better position compared to Sony in the markets outside of the US. Currently, an Xbox Series S is available for the retail price of €300 while a PS5 Digital Edition costs €450. This means you can pay %33 less to step into the next-gen gaming if you choose Xbox Series S. Also, The Xbox Series X is now 10% cheaper than PS5 Disc Drive Edition in Europe.
Xbox Series X|S and PS5 have been following each other closely in the US market, which is believed to be one of the main reasons why Sony didn't increase the retail price of PS5 in the US. Thanks to Microsoft's Game Pass service that allows players to gain day one access to games like MLB The Show 22, which is one of the highly popular sports in the US, Xbox has had a superior performance with its new consoles compared to the last generation of gaming.
Also, the number of studios that Microsoft acquired recently, especially with the addition of the Activision-Blizzard studios, already showcases a strong portfolio of games for Xbox Series X|S consoles, which could lead to spectacular exclusives, though Phil Spencer has already confirmed that they will ensure to allow PlayStation players to have access to the Call of Duty franchise in the future.