14 DAY TRIAL // Sony has recently announced that it’s increasing the price of the PlayStation 5 in certain regions, and many believed it’d be just a matter of time until Microsoft turns to the same decision as well for the new-gen Xbox consoles.
But unlikely rival Sony, Microsoft says it’ll maintain the current prices of the new-gen Xbox versions. The company says in a statement for WindowsCentral that it’s indeed monitoring the current economic conditions, but for now, it’s not planning a price hike for the Xbox Series X or the Xbox Series S.
“We are constantly evaluating our business to offer our fans great gaming options. Our Xbox Series S suggested retail price remains at $299 (£250, €300) the Xbox Series X is $499 (£450, €500),” a company spokesperson was quoted as saying.
Sony blames the economy for PS5 price hikes
In a statement earlier this week, Sony explained that the economic conditions and the inflation are making it difficult for the company to maintain the PS5 prices unchanged.
As a result, certain regions, including Europe, will see the price of the PlayStation 5 going up.
In Europe, for instance, the digital edition will be priced at 449.99 Euros, while the disc version will cost 549.99 Euros.
“The global economic environment is a challenge that many of you around the world are no doubt experiencing. We’re seeing high global inflation rates, as well as adverse currency trends, impacting consumers and creating pressure on many industries,” Sony explained in the official announcement.
“Based on these challenging economic conditions, SIE has made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price (RRP) of PlayStation 5 in select markets across Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Asia-Pacific (APAC), Latin America (LATAM), as well as Canada. There will be no price increase in the United States.”