Microsoft previously announced that starting this holiday season, the upcoming first-party (internally developed) titles can cost more than before.

In May, Microsoft raised the prices of consoles, controllers, and headsets, and we reported on it at the time. The Redmond tech giant also announced that certain Xbox Game Studios games will cost $80 instead of $70. Now, we can name the first title from the green team with a price hike, and it’s somewhat of a surprising choice on Microsoft’s part.

The Outer Worlds 2 will be the first Xbox game to increase in price following Microsoft’s planned price increase announced last month. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios, it will be released on October 29, just as the Christmas shopping season begins. Many people time their major game releases for the end of the year, as they do every year. However, they may have held back this year due to Grand Theft Auto VI. Originally, Rockstar Games and Take-Two’s game was scheduled for release this autumn.

Microsoft previously confirmed that consumers could expect to see a rise in prices for its first-party titles, as well as consoles, controllers, and headsets, during the year-end period. “We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development. Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players,” wrote Microsoft.

The increase in Xbox game prices follows Nintendo’s announcement that Mario Kart World, the launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2, will cost $80 instead of the industry standard of $70 for both the physical cartridge and digital versions. This decision sparked strong consumer backlash.

Source: Gamesindustry