Following Sony's announcement of a price increase for the PlayStation 5, Microsoft said the Xbox Series S and Series X will remain at the current suggested retail price.
The price of the PlayStation 5 will increase in the UK, Australia and other key territories, but the US managed to avoid a price increase for now. While unfortunate for many people looking to get their hands on a PS5, Microsoft's announcement is great news for Xbox fans.
In a statement to our sister site, Windows Central, Microsoft confirmed that the tech giant has no plans to increase the price of its latest consoles.
"We are constantly evaluating our business to provide our fans with great gaming options. Our suggested retail price for Xbox Series S remains at €299 (£250, AU$499) Xbox Series X is €499 (AU$450). €, AU €749).
This comes as a relief to gamers as there were suspicions surrounding a similar price hike from Microsoft after Sony's announcement cited economic pressure and inflation as the main factors behind the move. Only time will tell if Xbox prices continue to be immune to global economic stress.
The Battle of the Giants Console
By offering an affordable option with Xbox Series S and access to a vast library of games with its monthly subscription service, Game Pass, Microsoft is leading the race for affordability with this generation of consoles. Game Pass not only offers a wide selection of previous titles, but also immediate access to first-party games as soon as they are released. Several tiers also offer the library on PC as well as EA Play, so gamers don't even need the latest console to play their favorite games.
PlayStation has its own answer to Game Pass with PlayStation Plus, and while the library is larger than Xbox's, it doesn't include day one access to first-party titles. PlayStation Plus Premium also offers the ability to play select titles on PC, but this is limited to what's available in its Classics catalog and some PS4 titles.
Given the current difficulty in stocking the PlayStation 5, this is the last hurdle that fans need to jump over when picking up the console. Since its release in 2020, it's been notoriously difficult to get your hands on a PS5. It's not that hard to find one in 2022, however there are still stock issues in various markets, with fans often having to wait for them to be restocked before their orders arrive.