Microsoft has confirmed today that the platform holder will be raising the prices of its first-party Xbox Series X|S releases from 2023, beginning with the upcoming Starfield, Forza Motorsport, and Redfall.
From 2023, these new releases and those that follow will cost $69.99 in North America - a jump of 10 dollars over the original $59.99 that players have become accustomed to for the last decade. The reason? Economics. Development costs are rising and even conglomerate powerhouses such as Microsoft are not immune to inflation and the troubles of the world.
In a statement to IGN, a Microsoft representative stated that the new pricing "reflects the content, scale, and technical complexity" of the games being produced within Microsoft's portfolio of first-party studios.
A price increase has been on the cards for a while now, given that other publishers such as Sony and Ubisoft have already gone ahead and raised their prices, it won't come as too much of a shock to those within the Xbox ecosystem. In fact, Xbox owners are perhaps cushioned a little better against Microsoft raising the prices of its first-party games. While they will cost more on launch, thrifty players can save a lot of money with Xbox Game Pass, negating the need to pay the $70 price for a new first-party release as Microsoft has committed to putting its new games on its subscription service from day one. Mind you, the versions that release onto Xbox Game Pass are the base editions without any of the usual pre-order bonuses or collector edition goodies.
Earlier this year, Xbox chief Phil Spencer stated that Microsoft may raise the prices of its products, including games, consoles, and subscription services. However, he also said that the company would hold off on any increases before this holiday period, which is good news for those looking to stuff some Xbox games and gear under the tree. Microsoft even went a step further last month by cutting the price of its entry-level next-gen system, the Xbox Series S. That goodwill may not last too long into the new year, though, and while Microsoft has so far only confirmed an increase in price for its new games, it's certainly possible that the Xbox Series X|S and the various Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live subscriptions could see their prices bumped up next year, too.