Microsoft Announces Price Hike For Xbox Series X And Xbox GamePass: Check New Prices Here – News18

Microsoft has announced a price hike for its flagship gaming console—the Xbox Series X—and its GamePass subscription service.

The Xbox Series X will be increasing in price from August 1 in regions except the US, Brazil, Chile, Japan, and Colombia. However, the GamePass price, barring a few, is global and will affect the aforementioned countries.

Microsoft, with the Xbox Series X, is following Sony’s lead here, as the Japanese giant has already increased the price for the PS5 in multiple regions. Now, the Xbox Series X will cost £479.99 in the UK, €549.99 in Europe, and $649.99 in Canada.

There is no word about a price hike in India yet. But notably, the Xbox maker has already hiked the prices for its flagship console multiple times in India. Initially, the console came with a sticker price of Rs 49,990, but after a series of hikes, the Xbox Series X now costs Rs 55,990 or Rs 59,990 with a game bundle in India.

Now, it isn’t clear if the Xbox Series X will see another price jump in India considering the rival—and arguably more popular console—the PS5 costs less at Rs 54,990 and is routinely made available with offers now.

However, the prices for various tiers of GamePass have been increased in India. GamePass Ultimate for a month will now cost Rs 549, instead of Rs 499, and Game Pass for console is now Rs 379, up from Rs 349.

In the US, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will increase from $14.99/month to $16.99/month, and Xbox Game Pass for Console will jump from $9.99/month to $10.99/month. PC Game Pass pricing will remain unchanged.

The Verge notes that for existing Game Pass monthly subscribers, the new prices won’t take effect until August 13, or September 13th in Germany, but as expected, all new Xbox Game Pass subscribers will have to abide by the new prices from July 6.

“We’ve held on our prices for consoles for many years and have adjusted the prices to reflect the competitive conditions in each market,” Kari Perez, head of communications for Xbox, was quoted as saying in a statement to The Verge.

Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, has been quite vocal about an impending price hike, and that in the long term Xbox GamePass prices wouldn’t be sustainable. “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,” Spencer said last year.