During the Wall Street Journal's annual Tech Live conference, Xbox's Phil Spencer hinted at future price hikes across the platform, from consoles to games to Game Pass.

"We've held price on our console, we've held price on games... and our subscription," Spencer said. "I don't think we'll be able to do that forever. I do think at some point we'll have to raise some prices on certain things, but going into this holiday we thought it was important to maintain the prices."

"We've held price on our console, we've held price on games... and our subscription. I don't think we'll be able to do that forever. I do think at some point we'll have to raise some prices on certain things..." pic.twitter.com/jRt5ifKpE5

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) October 26, 2022

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It might have been an expected move from Xbox given the general trend in the industry. But it's safe to say that the same prices will apply at least till this holiday season for Xbox gaming options.

SOURCE

 

[DinohScene]

Was to be expected tbf...

 

[Deleted member 194275]

Problem: your only two direct competitors are selling tens of millions more than you

Solution: raise the prices!

Ingenious!!!

 

[ChiefReginod]

Another casualty of inflation.

 

[RichardTheKing]

Bugger off you rich-ass fuck with your multinational company worth billions
You of all companies can absorb some losses

 

[64bitmodels]

Bugger off you rich-ass fuck with your multinational company worth billions

Trillions actually, which makes it even worse
They were talking all that shit about not raising prices when Sony did it, now they're raising prices themselves. Hypocrites, but that's typical of these companies.

Post automatically merged: Oct 27, 2022

The biggest irony here is the fact that even greedtendo isn't raising prices yet the supposedly cheapest, most inclusive acessible company of these 3 are raising prices.....
Remember back when consoles used to get cheaper the longer they were out?

 

[yoyoyo69]

So Sony start the ball rolling with price fixing and Microsoft just rill over and join in?

Disgusting

Perhaps we should boycott the Activision buyout? We're effectively paying for less competition anyway at this point.

 

[64bitmodels]

So Sony start the ball rolling with price fixing and Microsoft just rill over and join in?

Nintendo started the ball rolling with price fixing,
Sony started the ball rolling with price RAISING. This is what our economy and gaming has come to.
Build a gaming PC, guys. And not one with those overpriced greedvidia cards either

 

[yoyoyo69]

Yep, I was going to quote this.

Was it not something to do with the Activision buyout?

Microsoft claimed the buyout wouldn't affect Sony as much as they had claimed, as they had so much control and market share, they were able to raise their console price?

Post automatically merged: Oct 27, 2022

So with so little competition, Sony and Microsoft are able to raise the price and make even more than extortionate amounts.

How long before they kill off/buyout the few remaining AAA independent studios/publishers?

 

[tech3475]

I wonder if they're saying this to try and push console sales over christmas, i.e. get it not whilst it's 'cheap'?

A price rise on Gamepass was always a 'when' and not an 'if' in my book, although I'm not sure if I'll continue my subscription if the price does go up and my prepaid expires.

 

[Marc_LFD]

I'd like to see them increase game prices to $90 just to see how customers would react.

Eventually, games will cost $100 when it used to be $60.

 

[ChiefReginod]

I wonder if this has anything to do with GPU prices rising because of the crypto bros. At some point, buying a gaming PC was an attractive alternative to buying the latest console. Since it's not anymore, the console makers can get away with this a little easier.

 

[Lazyboss]

Didn't they say they won't increase the price?

 

[tpax]

The magic solution to that could be described in one word that starts with p and ends with y

 

[godreborn]

I'd like to see them increase game prices to $90 just to see how customers would react.

Eventually, games will cost $100 when it used to be $60.

Games were like $80-$100 back in the 90s, factor in inflation.

 

[tpax]

I wonder if this has anything to do with GPU prices rising because of the crypto bros. At some point, buying a gaming PC was an attractive alternative to buying the latest console. Since it's not anymore, the console makers can get away with this a little easier.

The second hand market is flooded with used GPUs because crypto went to shit and the energy prices skyrocketing. A gaming PC is still a very viable alternative to consoles.

Post automatically merged: Oct 27, 2022

Games were like $80-$100 back in the 90s, factor in inflation.

PC's were like many thousands of dollars back in the 80s, factor in inflation. That argument is bullshit, and still brought up every time in threads about gaming prices.

 

[Randqalan]

Games were like $80-$100 back in the 90s, factor in inflation.

You're about Sega and Nintendo carts at the time. Fantasy Star 3 was closer to 110 were I lived.

 

[Marc_LFD]

crypto went to shit

It did but considering we need an alternative to the standard cash and payment systems, I'm not giving up on Crypto (mainly BTC and BAT though I won't buy any of it).

Everyone talks about how we need an alternative to government's money, yet no one has a definitive answer.

 

[V800]

Whoever takes the decisions behind the curtains is playing a number on Phil. He says one thing one day and immediatly he has to eat his words. At this point, his statements have lost all credibility.

 

[yoyoyo69]

Does this confirm they're now resigned to the fact the Activision deal won't go through after all?

Surely this puts a nail in the coffin, nope hopes of that going through, with increased prices and price fixing, before an merger even occurs.