Xbox is preparing to join a trend that has been increasing in recent years, announcing that starting in 2023 it will raise the prices of its new exclusive games from $60 to $70.
Games like Forza Motorsport, Starfield, Redfall and any new game the company releases starting next year will boast the new price tag.
In a statement that Microsoft gave to the media, it was said that the price increase "reflects the content, scope, and technical complexity of these titles".
Microsoft emphasized that these are the exclusive games developed by the Xbox developer division, and that the games will still be available on their launch day in the Game Pass service as well.
Microsoft has not yet indicated in which countries the price increase will take place.
This move adds Microsoft to the list of companies that have started charging a higher price for next-gen games: Ubisoft, Sony, Take-Two, Activision, Square Enix and Gearbox - all have started charging an extra $10 for versions of games for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox consoles Box Series X.
The racing game Forza Motorsport... (photo: official website, Xbox Studios)
...and Bethesda's Starfield and Redfall will be the first games to cost $70 (photo: official website, Bethesda)
Similar claims for the reasons for the price increase were heard by
Strauss Zelnik
, the CEO of Take-Two, who, when the trend of price increases began about two years ago, stated that "the new price corresponds to the quality of the experience" in the new generation of consoles. Also
Shawn Layden
, who was the chairman of Sony's gaming division He previously stated that the current economic model is not profitable for developers as long as they continue to charge $60, and this is because the development processes have become more complex.
Currently, it is only about the price increase for games and aligning with the other companies in the industry, and it is not certain when the Xbox console will also absorb a price increase.
The CEO of Xbox, Phil Spencer, has already indicated that in the past Microsoft has postponed the price increase for its consoles, games, and services, but in the end this is a step that will be realized and will not be avoided.
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