Furthermore, with this move, Microsoft has once again shot itself in the foot in the Asian island nation.
The price of the Xbox Series has increased by as much as 200 euros in Europe and 170 pounds in the United Kingdom. The 512 GB Xbox Series S used to cost 350 euros, but now costs 500 euros (a 150 euro increase, or 42.85%). The 1 TB model has increased from 400 euros to 600 euros (a 200 euro increase, or 50%). The 1TB Xbox Series X model without a Blu-ray drive has increased from €550 to €750 (+€200; +36.36%), and the model with an optical drive has increased from €600 to €800 (+€200; +33.3%). Therefore, everything has become at least one-third more expensive. In the United Kingdom, the price of the 512 GB Xbox Series S has increased from 300 to 430 pounds (+130 pounds; +43.33%), and the price of the 1 TB model has increased from 350 to 520 pounds (+170 pounds; +48.57%). The disc-less, 1TB Xbox Series X is now £620 instead of £450 (+£170; +37.77%), while the Blu-ray model is £670 instead of £500 (+£170; +34%).
In Japan, prices for the entire Xbox Series console lineup have increased. The price of all Japanese models has risen by 30,000 yen. The new prices for the product family are as follows: Xbox Series X 1 TB with Blu-ray drive: 117,980 yen (34%); without Blu-ray drive: 109,980 yen (37.5%); Xbox Series S: 97,480 yen (+44%). It is unclear if these prices refer to the 512 GB or 1 TB model. Consequently, the Xbox Series S in Japan is now twice as expensive as the Nintendo Switch 2. Even the Japanese PlayStation 5 model is cheaper!
This significantly hinders Xbox’s growth in the region. The gaming giant’s console sales and consumer interest are already at an all-time low, so Microsoft will likely feel the impact of this move. However, it appears that the company has shifted its focus to Project Helix. It remains to be seen whether the next-gen console will outperform the current generation of Xbox consoles.
Source: WCCFTech, Tech4gamers, ResetEra, ResetEra
