As the cost of living crisis hits our wallets in all the wrong places; You find yourself having to choose between heating your house this winter or buying a new game for your Xbox.
Starting with the highly anticipated sci-fi RPG Starfield, Microsoft announced via IGN that it will increase the base prices (opens in a new tab) of its Xbox Series X│S titles starting in 2023.
Microsoft assures us that the increase, which will see games like Starfield and Redfall debut at €70 each, is not in vain. "This price reflects the content, scale, and technical complexity of these titles," a Microsoft spokesperson told IGN.
For Xbox Game Pass subscribers, that shouldn't make much of a difference. "Every game developed by our teams on Xbox will also be available with Game Pass the same day they're released," the announcement confirms. It seems like there's more incentive than ever to jump on the Game Pass bandwagon.
shoot for the stars
The news that Xbox is raising the price of its exclusive titles is not surprising. Competitor Sony has announced price hikes for its PS5 console, as well as its own exclusive games.
With Microsoft acquiring Bethesda in 2021 for $7.500bn/£6.200bn/A$11.200bn, the studio was expected to focus on making games with Xbox in mind. Xbox boss Phil Spencer even hinted at possible Xbox price hikes after the holidays of 2022, and that's proof he meant business.
While there's certainly added pressure to make games that serve as big platform sellers, Spencer realizes it could be bad news for those looking to cut costs this winter; “We are not food or shelter,” she admitted in an interview with The Verge.
Fortunately, those with an Xbox Game Pass subscription can still play when it launches. The service currently costs US$14,99 / £10,99 / AU$20 per month, so now might be a good time to jump on the bandwagon.
That being said, there are other options for non-console gamers, as Xbox exclusives like Starfield will be releasing on PC as well.
Since PC games are a bit cheaper on Steam and Game Pass for PC is just $9.99 / £7.99 / AU$12.70 per month, you might be considering looking into PC games. With that in mind, you might want to order one of the best gaming laptops this Christmas.