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A sizzling potato: The economic system is shaky, AI is taking jobs, and individuals are tightening their belts, which implies there’s by no means been a greater time for Microsoft to disclose its first $80 recreation. The Redmond agency has confirmed that The Outer Worlds 2 will likely be priced at $79.99 within the US, making it the primary Xbox Recreation Studios title to undertake this unwelcome worth level.
This does not come as a shock, after all. A number of weeks in the past, Microsoft introduced a variety of price hikes throughout its Xbox {hardware} and software program lineup, which it blamed on market pressures and rising improvement prices.
Along with dearer Xbox consoles, Microsoft mentioned it plans to standardize pricing for a few of its upcoming first-party recreation releases at $79.99.
The primary of those titles will likely be The Outer Worlds 2. It launches on October 29, 2025, falling into the vacation season interval that Microsoft mentioned could be when the value will increase arrive. Along with the $79.99/£69.99 customary model, there may also be a particular version that prices $100.
Microsoft is unlikely to be overly fearful concerning the blowback over the value. As an Xbox Recreation Studios title, it would launch straight into the PC/Xbox Recreation Go service on day one. As is the case at any time when a AAA title lands on the service, anticipate to see loads of individuals take out subscriptions to play the sport as a substitute of handing over the retail quantity.
The primary Outer Worlds was a kind of video games that obtained principally good to wonderful critiques however did not set the world on hearth. Unsurprisingly, some customers are assessment bombing the unique recreation on Steam in response to its sequel’s $80 price ticket.
Obsidian, developer of each video games, can also be launching Grounded 2 this 12 months. At $29.99, it is greater than 60% cheaper than The Outer Worlds 2.
It is not simply Microsoft pushing up the usual value of AAA video games. Nintendo acquired there first when it introduced that each first-party Swap 2 recreation would value $70 or $80 – Mario Kart World falls into the latter class.
A) Not my name. B) In case you’re an actual fan, you will discover a technique to make it occur. My native recreation retailer had Starflight for Sega Genesis for $80 in 1991 once I was simply out of highschool working minimal wage at an ice cream parlor in Pismo Seashore and I discovered a technique to make it occur.
– Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) May 14, 2025
There’s been loads of anger over growing recreation costs. It is led to some throughout the trade making an attempt to justify them, unsuccessfully. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, for instance, mentioned “real fans” would find a technique to pay money for Borderland 4 if it prices $80.
There have additionally been loads of rumors about GTA VI costing greater than $80. One analyst wrote that builders and publishers “hope” that the sport may value as much as $100 when it arrives, as such a transfer may embolden different corporations to begin charging much more for his or her video games.
Many corporations cite giant improvement groups and rising manufacturing prices as justification for worth hikes. Nonetheless, it is price noting that three of the best-selling titles of 2025 up to now – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Cut up Fiction, and Blue Prince – are all budget releases.
