It’s been a long time, actually, we expected movements related to the prices of Xbox devices and services and, in fact, in recent months we have already seen some movements (timid, yes) in this regard. It is also true, however, that the complicated situation that Microsoft is facing in its attempt to buy Activision-Blizzard King has made everything rare, which has surely also affected the plans of Redmond in this regard.
Nevertheless, in February of this year we already saw movements in this direction, with the price increase of the Xbox Series X and Series S in Sweden, shortly after having carried out a similar action in Japan. What happened in the country of the rising sun caught us a long way away but, nevertheless, the price increase in Sweden had a very different reading, since in this case we are already talking about a country that is part of the European Union, that is, that It catches us much closer in more ways than one.
We all understood that movement, at the time, as a response to the price increase, by Sony, of PlayStation 5, which took place last summer. And because? Well, because a few months later, in October 2022, Phil Spencer already gave us to understand that the question was not whether there would be a price increase or not, the question was when it would occur. So ever since then we’ve been waiting for, sure enough, “Xbox” and “price hike” to become a headline.
Well, the time has come and it extends as I said before to both devices and services. As we can read in The Verge, Microsoft is going to raise the price of Xbox Series X and Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, in this case at least in console and Ultimate modalities. Thus, at least from the information published by said medium, it seems that both Xbox Series S and Game Pass for PC would be saved, at least for now, from said rise.
But then, What increases are announced for Spain?
- On the one hand, we have the top-of-the-range console, xbox series xwhose current price (the one it has maintained since it hit the market, at the end of 2020) is 499.99 euros, and which will increase by 50 euros, positioning itself at 549.99 euros.
- Xbox Game Pass for Consolewhich currently costs 9.99 euros per month, will rise by one euro, thus costing 10.99 euros per month.
- And the top-of-the-range modality of the service, Xbox Game Pass Ultimatewhich today has a monthly fee of 12.99 euros, will see an increase of 2 euros, so its subscribers will pay €14.99 per month.
The next question, of course, is when the prices will change, and the answer is that these changes will be applied in August. Specifically, current users of the two Game Pass modalities affected by the price increase will see it reflected in their monthly fees as of August 13. However, for new subscribers, the increase will start to apply much earlier, specifically on July 6. And with regard to the console, the price increase will be effective as of August 1. Thus, if you were thinking about whether to get one, you have a little less than a month and a half before the rise.
It is interesting, though, that Microsoft has decided Do not raise the prices of Xbox Series S or Game Pass for PC. Maybe you save them for a little later? Perhaps it has to do with the positions that you have been taking for a long time in your disputes with the regulators that are hindering the acquisition of ABK? Perhaps one day Microsoft will explain its reasons to us, but today we can speculate with multiple and very credible possibilities.
