It’s no secret that Sony has had a hard time getting the PlayStation 5 in the hands of gamers. The COVID-19 pandemic, chip shortages, global economic issues, scalpers, and more have all made the PS5 incredibly difficult to find in stores. And now Sony is going to make it even harder for some consumers to buy a PlayStation 5 console, as it’s been confirmed that thePS5 price is increasingin various countries around the world (minus the US).
With Sony raising the price of the PS5 console, there’s understandable concern that Microsoft may follow suit by raising the price of theXbox Series X. After all, Sony has now set a precedent that this can be done with the current crop of consoles, and so Microsoft could likely up the price of theXbox Series Xand not even face as much backlash now. However, it seems that Microsoft has no plans to do so, at least in the immediate future.
RELATED:PS5 Price Increase Might Not Have Negative Sales Impact
Jez Corden of Windows Central reached out to Microsoft about the situation, and a spokesperson confirmed that there are currently no plans to raise the Xbox Series X price. The spokesperson said that Microsoft is “constantly evaluating” its business but for now, theXbox Series S will remain priced at $299while the Xbox Series X will continue to retail for $499 for the foreseeable future.
If anything, Microsoft could capitalize on PlayStation 5 price increase by promoting the Xbox Series X as the cheaper next-generation console. After all, Microsoft’s strategy this generation is not so much about making a profit by selling consoles, but rather getting people signed up for Xbox Game Pass. This has been clear by Microsoft pushingprograms like Xbox All Access, which lets potential Xbox gamers get a console without paying full price up front, similar to phone plans.
For now, gamers don’t have to worry about Microsoft increasing the price ofXbox Series X consoles, even though Sony is doing just that with the PS5.
MORE:The Nintendo Switch Could Have a Longer Console Generation Than Competitors
