The gaming industry is currently undergoing a major transformation. The costs associated with creating video games are constantly increasing. Studios like Sony and Nintendo have already increased the prices of certain games in response to this situation. And according to the latest news, it's Xbox Game Studios' turn to take the plunge.
A 33% increase in the initial price
Until now, Microsoft's first-party games still adhered to the standard price of $60, inherited from previous generations. But those days seem to be over. With The Outer Worlds 2, Xbox is offering a game for the first time at $80 on its Steam page. This is the very first game published by Xbox Game Studios to exceed the symbolic threshold of 70 dollars.
Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, this title is the sequel to an RPG acclaimed by critics and players in 2019. The price increase is all the more striking since the first opus is currently on sale for less than ten dollars.
In concrete terms, this increase represents approximately a 33% increase compared to the standard price of previous Xbox games. This movement, already initiated by Nintendo with Mario Kart World on the Switch 2, is gradually normalizing the price of 80 dollars as the new standard for AAA productions. The consumer, for his part, must adapt to an economic reality where development costs are exploding.
How can this significant increase be justified?
In a press release, the company explains that these changes were decided upon cautiously, taking into account market realities. To reassure the public, she affirmed that she continues to seek a balance between accessibility and quality, particularly through her multiplatform offering. In any case, she insisted on the fact that producing a title like The Outer Worlds 2 requires years of development, larger teams, advanced technologies and therefore considerable budgets. A highly anticipated release on consoles and PC Scheduled for October 2, 2025, The Outer Worlds 2 will be released on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC. This multiplatform choice shows that Microsoft is not reserving this title exclusively for its ecosystem, even if it should be offered from the day of its release in the Xbox Game Pass.
Basically, Obsidian seems to be staying true to the formula that made the first installment a success. The complex dialogue system, the satirical universe, and the epic battles will be back.
In any case, Microsoft is taking a risky gamble by increasing the prices of its games. On the one hand, players are faced with an accumulation of increases: consoles, subscriptions, and now the games themselves.
On the other hand, the global economic context remains uncertain and the purchasing power of many consumers is declining. This increase could therefore discourage some of the public, particularly those who prefer to buy individually.
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