Microsoft has confirmed it won’t be going ahead with a planned price increase for Xbox games this holiday season.
Earlier this year, Microsoft confirmed a series of global price hikes with the cost of the Xbox Series X/S console and a number of accessories getting more expensive. From May, UK gamers have had to pay £50 more for the basic 512gb Xbox Series S while the more powerful 2tb Xbox Series X received a £40 price increase.
“We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development,” Microsoft explained in a statement at the time. “Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players.”
The company also revealed that it “expects to adjust the pricing of some of our new, first-party games starting this holiday season to $79.99.” Yesterday (July 24) Microsoft backtracked on that promise.
Dear Galactic Citizens!⁰⁰We have received your SOS via skip drone about the pricing. As an organization devoted to making sure that corporations do not go unfettered, we at the Earth Directorate have worked with [REDACTED] to revise the price of The Outer Worlds 2. While this… pic.twitter.com/skOjxWBXIB
— The Outer Worlds (@OuterWorlds) July 23, 2025
And they’re making changes right away. The Outer Worlds 2 is set to launch on October 25 and has been available to pre-order for $79.99 but yesterday developers Obsidian confirmed they would be “revising” the pricing. The game is now available to pre-order for $69.99 with refunds on the way for anyone who purchased it for the higher price.
In a statement a Microsoft spokesperson added: “We’re focused on bringing players incredible worlds to explore, and will keep our full-priced holiday releases, including The Outer Worlds 2, at $69.99, in line with current market conditions.”
Good news to hear. Games should not be $80 dollars. https://t.co/BFNfw9cU1o
— Freeman_san (@Freeman_Sans) July 23, 2025
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Earlier this year, Nintendo received backlash for its variable pricing structure for Switch 2 games. A physical copy of Mario Kart World costs £74.99 while a digital version of new 3D platformer Donkey Kong Bananza is £58.88 while the physical edition will set you back £66.99.
Explaining the set-up, Nintendo Of America’s President Doug Bowser said the company would look at “the development that’s gone into the game, the breadth and depth of the gameplay, the durability over time and the repeatability of gameplay experiences,” to determine the right price.
In other news, It looks like the controversial skins that have split the Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 fanbase will make a return in Black Ops 7.
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