Xbox Series X games will cost $70 in 2023, as Microsoft matches Sony's PS5 pricing policy
First-party Xbox Studios titles like Starfield and Forza Motorsport will now come with a $70 price tag
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: $70 Xbox games
💰 Microsoft has confirmed that Xbox Series X games will increase from $60 to $70 in 2023
💵 Some publishers like Sony’s PlayStation Studios have already been charging $70 for games
🫰 The price hike means games like Starfield, Forza Motorsport and Redfall will cost $69.99 next year
🤐 There’s no indication that the monthly cost of Xbox Game Pass will also increase
The price of first-party Xbox Series X games will increase from $60 to $70 in 2023, Microsoft has announced.
Unlike Sony, Take-Two Interactive, Activision Blizzard and EA, Microsoft is one of a few publishers that hasn’t been charging $70 for its titles. However, the company told Windows Central why the price of some of the best Xbox Series X games will increase in the future.
“We’ve held on price increases until after the holidays so families can enjoy the gift of gaming. Starting in 2023 our new, built-for-next-gen, full-priced games, including Forza Motorsport, Redfall, and Starfield, will launch at $69.99 USD on all platforms,” said a Microsoft spokesperson. “This price reflects the content, scale, and technical complexity of these titles. As with all games developed by our teams at Xbox, they will also be available with Game Pass the same day they launch.”
The price increase means that upcoming Xbox Series X|S games like Starfield, Forza Motorsport, Redfall and Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga will retail for $70. Those games will still launch on Xbox Game Pass on day one, which could make Microsoft’s subscription service even better value if the monthly price remains the same.
Sony already charges $70 for first-party games like God of War Ragnarok and The Last of Us Part 1 and has been doing so since the PS5 launched on November 12, 2020. Unlike Microsoft, though, Sony doesn’t put its first-party games on PlayStation Plus Premium or Extra on day one.
The Xbox games price hike comes shortly after Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer admitted that the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S could go up in price in 2023.
“We've held price on our console, we've held price on games... and our subscription,” Spencer said, as reported by The Verge journalist Tom Warren. “I don't think we'll be able to do that forever.”
Sony increased the price of the PS5 in Europe and other parts of the world back in August, citing high manufacturing costs. The price rise didn’t extend to the US, however, and Microsoft has yet to follow suit. Judging by this news, though, it’s only a matter of time until it does.
If you still can’t decide whether to get a PS5 vs Xbox Series X, our in-depth comparison can help you make an informed decision. You can also keep track of all the upcoming releases with our Xbox Series X games 2022 list.