A scorching potato: The financial system is shaky, AI is taking jobs, and persons are tightening their belts, which suggests 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 might be priced at $79.99 within the US, making it the primary Xbox Recreation Studios title to undertake this unwelcome value level.
This does not come as a shock, in fact. A couple of weeks in the past, Microsoft introduced numerous value hikes throughout its Xbox {hardware} and software program lineup, which it blamed on market pressures and rising improvement prices.
Along with costlier 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 might be The Outer Worlds 2. It launches on October 29, 2025, falling into the vacation season interval that Microsoft mentioned can be when the value will increase arrive. Along with the $79.99/£69.99 commonplace model, there may also be a particular version that prices $100.
Microsoft is unlikely to be overly nervous concerning the blowback over the value. As an Xbox Recreation Studios title, it can launch straight into the PC/Xbox Recreation Cross service on day one. As is the case each time a AAA title lands on the service, count on to see loads of folks 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 acquired largely good to wonderful opinions however did not set the world on hearth. Unsurprisingly, some customers are overview bombing the unique recreation on Steam in response to its sequel’s $80 price ticket.
Obsidian, developer of each video games, can 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 price of AAA video games. Nintendo obtained there first when it introduced that each first-party Swap 2 recreation would price $70 or $80 – Mario Kart World falls into the latter class.
A) Not my name. B) In the event you’re an actual fan, you will discover a strategy to make it occur. My native recreation retailer had Starflight for Sega Genesis for $80 in 1991 after I was simply out of highschool working minimal wage at an ice cream parlor in Pismo Seashore and I discovered a strategy to make it occur.
– Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) Might 14, 2025
There’s been loads of anger over rising recreation costs. It is led to some throughout the business making an attempt to justify them, unsuccessfully. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, for instance, mentioned “actual followers” would discover a strategy 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 might price as a lot as $100 when it arrives, as such a transfer might embolden different firms to begin charging much more for his or her video games.
Many firms cite giant improvement groups and rising manufacturing prices as justification for value hikes. Nonetheless, it is value noting that three of the best-selling titles of 2025 to date – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Break up Fiction, and Blue Prince – are all price range releases.
