Microsoft will increase the cost of both the Xbox Series X console and Game Pass subscription in a matter of weeks.
The Xbox Series X will rise from £449.99 to £479.99 from August 1 according to The Verge. While this price jump will happen in many countries, the US is among a handful left out of the bump.
There’s also bad news for folks already kitted out with a console. Xbox Game Pass subscription pricing will change as well.
The top-tier Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership will increase from £10.99 a month to £12.99. Those subscribed to the standard version of Game Pass, which only allows access to games on Xbox consoles, will see a £1 jump, from £7.99 to £8.99.
These changes will kick in for current subscribers on August 13, and for new members on July 6.
Not everything is to see a price increase in Xbox-land, though. The Xbox Series S will remain at £249.99, and the PC-only version of Game Pass will stay at £7.99 a month.
Why make these changes now? We are a few months out from the biggest Xbox game release of the year, Starfield, and this gap lets Microsoft fully capitalise on the heat of this title without the risk of putting a cloud over its launch. Starfield is due for release on September 6.
This is not the first Xbox price rise of the year either. In January 2023, Microsoft announced the cost of both Xbox Series consoles would rise by up to around £30 in Japan. The company has suggested in the past that price changes were under consideration.
“We’ve held on our prices for consoles for many years and have adjusted the prices to reflect the competitive conditions in each market,” Xbox head of communications Kari Perez told The Verge.
Sony increased the cost of the PlayStation 5 console in the UK from £450 to £480 in August 2022. Microsoft’s announcement sees the two at parity once more.
Microsoft’s Xbox Series consoles reached two million sales in the UK in May, according to Gamesindustry.biz, but its sales lag significantly behind those of the PS5. Sony’s console has sold upwards of 38 million units worldwide, with an estimated lead of 15 million over Microsoft.
However, if you’re feeling the pinch at the moment but still want to try some of the latest games, the Xbox Series S remains one of the most cost-effective ways to do so.
