Microsoft likes to say that Xbox Game Pass is “the best deal in gaming,” but it looks like this deal might not be as good in the future. Phil Spencer, the boss of Xbox, talked about the prices of Xbox consoles and Xbox Game Pass at WSJ Live.
He said that the company might have to raise prices “on some things” in the future. It’s unclear when or what prices might go up. However, Spencer said they have no plans to do that during the holiday season.
Why did the company increase its price of Xbox?
Sony made news earlier this year when it said its PlayStation 5 console price would go up worldwide. The United States was notably left out of this decision. Moreover, it was a surprise since most consoles’ cost tends to decrease over time.
In the same way, the price of the Meta Quest 2 has gone up by $100. We don’t know if Microsoft will have to do the same in the future. Still, global inflation and chip shortages affect the video game industry significantly.
What is the new strategy of ?
Game Pass has become a big part of Xbox’s overall strategy. Moreover, it is helping to bring in new users to the Xbox’s ecosystem. In this way, the Xbox Series S has been very successful. This week, Microsoft confirmed that almost half of the people who bought it had never owned an Xbox.
The console costs $299 and has Xbox’s Game Pass is a big reason for this. Microsoft decided to raise the price of the Xbox’s Series S and Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. Moreover, the company must be very careful about finding the right price.
Xbox fans will have to wait and see what the company says next. However, those who want to buy one of the company’s consoles might wish to do so sooner rather than later!
What did Spencer mention about it?
Spencer talked about this at today’s Wall Street Journal Live event. He also said that he thinks Microsoft will have to raise prices “at some point.” “I do think we’ll have to raise the prices on some things at some point. However, we thought it was important to keep the prices the same before the holidays.”
We haven’t changed the price of our console, games, or subscription. I don’t think we can keep doing that indefinitely. We’ll have to raise prices on some things at some point…”
No one knows how much Microsoft might want to raise the prices of consoles and Game Pass. Currently, an Xbox Series X costs $499, while an Xbox Series S costs $299.
Xbox Game Pass costs $10 a month for the base membership and $14 a month for the Ultimate membership. Will these price increases make you less likely to buy Xbox consoles and items or join Xbox Game Pass? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
