Xbox and Nintendo Won’t Follow PlayStation 5 Price Hike

Sony made headlines yesterday after announcing that announcing a PlayStation 5 price increase in most markets except the US. Due to “high global inflation rates,” all PS5 models now cost €50 more in the EU and £30 more in the UK.

Increasing the price of a new console two years after its launch is quite unprecedented. However, demand for the current-gen console is just so high that consumers who really want to PS5 are probably just going to swallow it.

Still, this PS5 price hike gives a new window of opportunity to Microsoft and Sony. Yesterday, Microsoft confirmed to Windows Central that the company had no plans to raise the price of its Xbox Series X|S consoles.

“We are constantly evaluating our business to offer our fans great gaming options. Our Xbox Series S suggested retail price remains at $299 (£250, €300) the Xbox Series X is $499 (£450, €500),” a Microsoft spokesperson told Windows Central.

Nintendo has since joined Microsoft and confirmed to Eurogamer that it had “no plans to increase the trade price of its hardware”. The company went further by quoting a statement that Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said during the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting in June.

As our president Mr Furukawa stated at the 82nd Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in June:

“While we cannot comment on pricing strategies, we currently do not have any plans to change the price of our hardware due to inflation or increased procurement costs in each country. We will determine our future pricing strategies through careful and continued deliberations.’

While the final price to consumers is always determined by retailers, as Mr Furukawa stated, Nintendo has no plans to increase the trade price of its hardware.

Both Microsoft and Nintendo currently offer the most affordable consoles on the market, with the Nintendo Switch Lite starting at $199 while the Xbox Series S is priced at $299. The latter can play all current-gen games just fine, though the lack of a disc drive and small storage capacity may turn some people off.

Still, Microsoft is well positioned to gain market share now that the PS5 is getting more expensive. On the company’s latest earning calls last month, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella highlighted that Xbox Series X|S have been the best-selling current-gen consoles in North America for 3 quarters in a row.