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What simply occurred? Plainly for as soon as, a tech big is listening to what folks need – although it is most likely not for altruistic causes. Microsoft is reversing its earlier determination to make $80 the usual value for first-party Xbox video games. It signifies that The Outer Worlds 2, which was set to be the primary of those titles to hold that price ticket, now prices $70.
Just a few weeks in the past, Microsoft managed to anger avid gamers all over the place by asserting that along with Xbox {hardware} turning into costlier, first-party video games throughout all platforms would leap to $80. In June, it was confirmed that FPS/RPG The Outer Worlds 2 can be the first of these titles to be priced this excessive.
But it surely appears the backlash proved too robust – the primary sport had been getting assessment bombed on Steam due to its sequel’s value. Now, seemingly attributable to issues that individuals will boycott these video games, Microsoft is dropping the $80 customary value and reverting to $70.
Obsidian has already confirmed that The Outer Worlds 2 has had a value discount. “We’ve acquired your SOS by way of skip drone concerning the pricing,” it wrote in a submit. “As an organisation devoted to creating certain that firms don’t go unfettered, we on the Earth Directorate have labored with [REDACTED] to revise the value of The Outer Worlds 2.”
Expensive Galactic Residents! We’ve acquired your SOS by way of skip drone concerning the pricing. As a company devoted to creating certain that firms don’t go unfettered, we on the Earth Directorate have labored with [REDACTED] to revise the value of The Outer Worlds 2.
– Obsidian (@obsidian.net) 23 July 2025 at 15:02
Obsidian advised Windows Central that anybody who pre-ordered The Outer Worlds 2 at its earlier $80 value can be refunded. Somewhat than handing again $10, consumers can be refunded the complete quantity and must pre-order the sport once more at its new $70 value.
An Xbox spokesperson confirmed that every one full-priced vacation releases will price $70, “in step with present market situations.” Microsoft additionally confirmed to Home windows Central that the Outer Worlds 2’s value drop will come to areas exterior of the US, together with the UK and EU, although it’d take a number of days to roll out.
It isn’t simply Microsoft pushing up the usual price of AAA video games. Nintendo obtained there first when it announced that each first-party Change 2 sport would price $70 or $80 – Mario Kart World falls into the latter class.
This is not the primary time an organization has backed down from an $80 value level. Borderlands 4 was broadly anticipated to price this a lot, one thing that Randy Pitchford, CEO and president of Gearbox’s guardian firm, appeared to recommend would occur. However pre-orders opened last month with a $70 value for the bottom sport.
The Outer Worlds 2 releases on October 28 for Xbox Sequence X/S, PS5 and PC.
