New first-party games released on Xbox Series X|S including Forza Motorsport, Redfall and Starfield will be subjected to a price increase in the new year.
Microsoft Gaming is joining other major video games publishers in hiking the prices of its major new first-party titles from $60 (approximately £49) to $70 (£57) at launch in 2023.
“This price reflects the content, scale, and technical complexity of these titles,” a Microsoft spokesperson told IGN. “As with all games developed by our teams at Xbox, they will also be available with Game Pass the same day they launch.”
Microsoft noted that regional pricing may vary and has not yet given specifics for other countries.
Other publishers including Sony, Ubisoft and Take-Two Interactive have announced $70 price points for certain new games in recent years.
Earlier this year Xbox boss Phil Spencer said that the company wouldn’t be able to hold its prices forever but that the price of the console – rather than new major first-party games – would not raise prices ahead of the 2023 holiday season.
However, in October, the language Spencer used in another statement was different. “We’ve held price on our console, we’ve held price on games, and our subscription,” he said. “I don’t think we’ll be able to do that forever. I do think at some point we’ll have to raise some prices on certain things.”
Full price for major new video games has remained steady at $60 since the Xbox 360/PS3 era in the mid-’00s, prior to which most games cost $50 (approximately £41).
Increased development costs and ongoing inflation have been cited by gaming companies as the key reasons behind such price jumps.
In other recent news, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 fans who choose to play on Xbox or PC have found that the option to disable crossplay is missing from the game.
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