It was only two months ago that Microsoft stated that Xbox Series X|S console prices wouldn’t see an increase, following a recent $50 AUD jump in price on both the digital and disc-based versions of the PlayStation 5 console earlier.
It sounds like the good times may not last forever though as Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, has admitted that price increases may well be a part of the future of the Xbox ecosystem after all.
Speaking at The Wall Street Journal’s annual WSJ Live event and in response to the topic of more expensive video game software (thanks VGC), Spencer addressed the matter of pricing across the Xbox brand and products:
“I do think at some point we’ll have to raise the prices on certain things, but going into this holiday we thought it was important to maintain the prices.”
“We’ve held price on our console, we’ve held price on games… and our subscription. 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…”
"We've held price on our console, we've held price on games… and our subscription. 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…" pic.twitter.com/jRt5ifKpE5
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) October 26, 2022
Reassuringly, this isn’t an indication of any immediate changes as Spencer reiterates that the company wants to hold firm on pricing going into the holiday season this year, but with continued global challenges in production, shipping and markets it’s not at all surprising that Microsoft would be keeping its options open.
With subscription services in every corner raising prices as of late, it would make the most sense to see Game Pass become the first Xbox product with a price increase, if any.
Now might be the right time to get that custom Design Labs Xbox Elite Series 2 controller order in, don’t you think?
