With Sony raising the price of the PS5 console, there’s understandable concern that Microsoft may follow suit by raising the price of the Xbox Series X. After all, Sony has now set a precedent that this can be done with the current crop of consoles, and so Microsoft could likely up the price of the Xbox Series X and not even face as much backlash now. However, it seems that Microsoft has no plans to do so, at least in the immediate future.
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Jez Corden of Windows Central reached out to Microsoft about the situation, and a spokesperson confirmed that there are currently no plans to raise the Xbox Series X price. The spokesperson said that Microsoft is “constantly evaluating” its business but for now, the Xbox Series S will remain priced at $299 while the Xbox Series X will continue to retail for $499 for the foreseeable future.
If anything, Microsoft could capitalize on PlayStation 5 price increase by promoting the Xbox Series X as the cheaper next-generation console. After all, Microsoft’s strategy this generation is not so much about making a profit by selling consoles, but rather getting people signed up for Xbox Game Pass. This has been clear by Microsoft pushing programs like Xbox All Access, which lets potential Xbox gamers get a console without paying full price up front, similar to phone plans.
Microsoft has also been making strides in making Xbox Game Pass as accessible as possible. While it’s safe to say that the majority of Xbox Game Pass subscribers are gaming on Xbox consoles, a version of the service is also available on PC. Xbox Game Pass also had plenty of games that can be streamed from the cloud, making it possible to play Xbox Series X games on older hardware or even mobile phones.
For now, gamers don’t have to worry about Microsoft increasing the price of Xbox Series X consoles, even though Sony is doing just that with the PS5.
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Source: Windows Central
