In an interview with The Verge, Kari Perez, head of communications at Xbox, said: “We haven’t raised the price of the console for many years, and adjust the price according to the competitive conditions of each market.”
The price of the Xbox Series X will match the PS5 price increase announced by Sony last year in most markets, and from August 1, the Xbox Series X will be priced at £479.99 in the UK and £479.99 in most European markets. €549.99, CAD $649.99 in Canada and AUD $799.99 in Australia. Pricing for the Xbox Series S will not be adjusted in any market and will remain $299.99.
While a price adjustment for the Xbox Series X is expected to happen following Sony’s actions last year, Xbox CEO Phil Spencer also hinted in October last year that subscription prices won’t stay the same forever.
Starting July 6, the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Game Pass for Console will increase. The price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has increased from HK$79 to HK$85 per month, while the basic Xbox Game Pass for Console price has also increased from HK$59 to HK$65 per month. It’s worth mentioning that Microsoft isn’t changing the price of PC Game Pass.
If you subscribed to Xbox Game Pass with an annual code, the new price won’t take effect until you renew your subscription.
Most markets will be affected by the increase in Xbox Game Pass prices, but some Game Pass console prices remain unchanged in Norway, Chile, Denmark, Switzerland, and Saudi Arabia.