Xbox Game Pass and Series X Consoles Are Getting a Price Hike: Report

Xbox Game Pass subscriptions around the world are getting a price hike, starting next month. As per The Verge, Microsoft's new prices will be visible to newcomers, starting July 6, though if you're already subscribed on a yearly basis, the changes won't take effect until the membership ends. In India, the Game Pass Ultimate pricing has gone up from Rs. 499 to Rs. 549, in what the company describes as an adjustment to ‘reflect the competitive conditions in each market.' Meanwhile, Game Pass for console sees a minor price hike — Rs. 349 to Rs. 379 monthly. Additionally, the company will be raising prices for its Xbox Series X console in select markets, from August onwards.

The report does not mention any pricing changes for PC Game Pass, which means that it will likely maintain its Rs. 349 per month price. While in most regions, this would be the first time Xbox Game Pass goes through any pricing changes, India had already seen a heavy reduction in early last year across all its plans. Back in April, Game Pass membership codes were finally made available at retail, as digital codes available to purchase from Amazon India. These codes are a bit cheaper when compared to buying from Microsoft's official website since no additional taxes are levied. You'll get it for MRP. For the uninitiated, an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership grants access to hundreds of high-quality games on both console and PC, an EA Play membership, and Xbox Live Gold that allows for online multiplayer.

“We've held on our prices for consoles for many years and have adjusted the prices to reflect the competitive conditions in each market,” Kari Perez, head of communications for Xbox, said in a prepared statement to The Verge. From August 1, Xbox Series X prices will go up in most countries — besides the US, Japan, Chile, Brazil, and Colombia — to match the price hike Sony brought to its PS5 consoles, last year. The Series X is already overpriced in India, as it is — Rs. 55,990 — so for now, it's unclear whether this upcoming price increase applies here. The report does not mention the Asian region, either. In most European markets, the current-gen console will now cost EUR 549.99 (about Rs. 49,500), while in the UK, it will be listed at GBP 479.99 (about Rs. 50,200). In Canada, the console will now cost $649.99 (about Rs. 40,500) and in Australia, it'll be listed at $799.99 (about Rs. 36,000).

The lower-end Xbox Series S prices will not see any changes, though it's worth noting that in India, that console had already received a hike, earlier this year, now costing Rs. 39,990. At launch in 2020, the console was listed at Rs. 34,900. In October, Xbox Game Studios CEO Phil Spencer hinted that the current prices for the Xbox consoles would not hold forever and that some changes would surely be on the way. Those changes seem to be finally taking shape.