After Sony increased the prices of PS5 consoles earlier this year, Xbox CEO Phil Spencer indirectly criticized the decision by implying the price increases shouldn’t happen during times when customers were “more economically challenged.” Apparently, it seems like 2023 will be the point at which it becomes the right move to increase the cost of Xbox games, the Series X|S console, and/or subscriptions as Spencer’s latest statement on the subject is that “I do think at some point we’ll have to raise the prices on certain things.”
When might Xbox console prices be increased?
Spencer made it perfectly clear at WSJ Live (thanks Tom Warren) that prices will not be increased during the holiday period as “it was important to maintain the prices” during this time. However, he did say that it was possible the Xbox console price may increase in the future, later clarifying:
We’ve held price on our console, we’ve held price on games… and our subscription. I don’t think we’ll be able to do that forever. I do think at some point we’ll have to raise some prices on certain things…
This statement comes just one month after Spencer criticised price increases by stating “in a time when our customers are more economically challenged and uncertain than ever, we don’t think it’s the right move for us at this point to be raising prices on our consoles.” Now it seems like the inevitable is catching up to the rival company. Meanwhile, Nintendo has no intention to increase the prices of their hardware.
