Skip to main content

Microsoft won’t increase the Xbox’s price in wake of PS5 price hike

Microsoft issued a response to the news this morning of Sony increasing the price of the PlayStation 5 console in markets outside of the U.S.

In a statement to Windows Central, a Microsoft spokesperson says, “We are constantly evaluating our business to offer our fans great gaming options. Our Xbox Series S suggested retail price remains at $299 (250 British pounds, 300 euros) the Xbox Series X is $499 (450 pounds, 500 euros).”

It looks like, as of right now, Microsoft will not be raising the prices for either of the newest-generation consoles in any region, which is a good thing considering that consumers have been upset about Sony’s decision. That doesn’t necessarily mean Microsoft won’t consider such a thing in the future, but the company made it very clear that it’s not happening anytime soon.

Official PlayStation Used Game Instructional Video

When one console manufacturer makes a misstep, others tend to call them out. The situation is reminiscent of E3 2013, when Sony issued a scathing response to Microsoft’s initial DRM policies with the Xbox One. Sony created a video on how to share games on PlayStation 4, with two executives just handing over a video game. The Xbox One’s reveal back in 2013 drew the ire of gamers when Microsoft said that it would restrict the sharing of pre-owned games on the console and would require an online system authentication every 24 hours. Due to the backlash, Microsoft walked back those policies, but the damage was already done and Sony looked like the hero, eventually selling over 117 million PlayStation 4 units in its lifetime and beating the Xbox One at a 2:1 ratio.

However, it’s unlikely that Sony will renege on the PlayStation 5 price increase, as the company is the leader in the console space and the increase doesn’t affect the North American market. With upcoming blockbuster exclusives like God of War: Ragnarok and The Last of Us Part I, the console will likely still be in hot demand despite the higher price.

Editors' Recommendations

George Yang
George Yang is a freelance games writer for Digital Trends. He has written for places such as IGN, GameSpot, The Washington…
The best skills to buy first in Another Crab’s Treasure
Another Crab's Treasure

If you're looking for a quirky underwater adventure, Another Crab's Treasure has you covered with its kelp forests, unusual sand-dwelling NPCs, and creative gameplay mechanics. However, it's worth noting that it's also a challenging soulslike experience that is certain to leave you facing off against some enemies multiple times before felling them. One way to help this along is to invest in the game's skills, which often grant you some entirely new attacks or passive abilities that drastically change up the way you approach combat.

There are three skill trees, but you can mix and match between them as you see fit. And luckily, thorough explorers shouldn't have a problem unlocking most of the skills by the end of the game. Here are our picks for the best ones to buy first to increase your chances of getting there.
Skewer
Way of the Predator

Read more
The best cozy games
Riding in a boat with Kapp'n in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

In a world where so many games send you on missions with tense action and high stakes, sometimes it's nice to just sit back and relax a bit. That's where the cozy genre comes in with calming exploration, crafting, and decorating that give you a sense of purpose without all of the stress that comes from more action-oriented games. If that's what you're after, look no further, as we've compiled a list of what we consider to be the best cozy games you can play right now.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Read more
All cross-platform games (PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
Two squads of heroes clash in an Overwatch 2 trailer.

Cross-platform support is becoming more important in the world of video games. Multiplayer hits like Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 and Fortnite have pushed crossplay into the limelight, and now most AAA multiplayer games release with at least partial cross-platform support. Finding every cross-platform game is no easy feat, though, so we did the hard work to bring you a comprehensive list of games that support crossplay.

Unfortunately, there aren't any rules when it comes to crossplay, so each game handles the feature a little differently. To make matters more confusing, certain backward-compatible games on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X still support crossplay on the most recent hardware, even if there isn't an official release for that hardware.

Read more