Microsoft has announced a new wave of price increases across its product line, sparking backlash among gamers. The company raised prices for Xbox Series X|S consoles, accessories, and — most notably — first-party games, which will now cost up to $79.99. This marks the second major price hike in recent years, signaling a shift toward $80 becoming the new standard for AAA games.
The price increases apply to the US, Europe, the UK, and Australia. Microsoft cited “market conditions” and rising development costs as reasons for the hike but did not provide detailed justification. Online, players voiced frustration — many said they’ll only buy games during sales going forward.
What’s getting more expensive:
- Xbox Series X – $599.99
- Xbox Series S (512GB) – $379.99
- Xbox Series S (1TB) – $429.99
- Digital Xbox Series X – $549.99
- Galaxy Black (2TB) – $729.99
- Xbox Wireless Controllers – $64.99
- Xbox Wireless Headset – $119.99
In Europe, the Series S will cost €349.99 / £299.99, and the Series X will be priced at €599.99 / £499.99. Notably, the Xbox Game Pass subscription remains unchanged for now.
Many believe this trend began when Nintendo became the first to price its upcoming Switch 2 games at $70+. As expected, Microsoft followed — and Sony may soon adopt a similar strategy.
Studios likely to be affected include:
Activision, Blizzard, Bethesda, id Software, The Coalition, 343 Industries, Arkane, Ninja Theory, and Playground Games. This means future titles like Call of Duty, Diablo, The Elder Scrolls, Halo, Gears of War, Forza Horizon, and Fable could adopt the new pricing.
Microsoft’s announcement came just after a strong quarterly earnings report. According to CEO Satya Nadella, the company saw record pre-orders and installs across Xbox and PlayStation Store, and PC Game Pass revenue rose by 45% year-over-year.
Despite these results, the overall reaction from the community remains largely negative. Many gamers now say they’ll skip launch-day purchases — $80 is simply too much.
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