Microsoft is raising the prices of a variety of Xbox consoles, games and controllers around the world, including in Canada.
In an update posted to its website, Microsoft says it's now charging more for these products in response to "market conditions and the rising cost of development."
Microsoft says the cost of "some" new first-party games will go up to $79.99 USD (about $110 CAD) by the holidays. The price of Xbox Game Pass ($22.99/month for the highest Ultimate tier) will remain the same.
Here is all the new Canadian pricing of Xbox consoles and accessories:
Xbox says the prices of its official Stereo and Wireless headsets are also going up, but only in Canada and the U.S. We'll update this story once we know the new costs of these products.
Note that Microsoft says the cost of "some" new first-party games will go up to $79.99 USD (about $110 CAD) in the holidays, but specific titles weren't clarified, so they're not listed above.
Given that Xbox Game Pass includes the company's first-party titles, it remains to be seen whether that subscription cost will increase in the holidays to coincide with the individual game price hikes.
Microsoft's big Xbox price increases come after Nintendo shocked the world with its pricy $629 Switch 2 console and $110 Mario Kart World game. (Other titles, like Donkey Kong Bananza, are $100.)
Sony soon followed suit by raising the price of its own PS5 console, but only in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. That said, PlayStation Plus got more expensive worldwide, including in Canada, just two weeks ago.
Ultimately, though, Microsoft's price hikes were spread out more widely across both the Xbox brand and its global markets, just like Nintendo did with its own corresponding products.
It remains to be seen what other gaming companies will raise prices of their own products, but given the U.S.' sweeping tariffs against many countries, particularly Asia, it seems safe to assume more increases are coming.
Markodo/Shutterstock.com
Join the conversation Load comments