Consoles and games used to be sold cheaper, but in recent years the cost has increased significantly. The global economic situation is deteriorating, which calls into question the accessibility of games and their mass appeal.
Among the most notable changes:
- Xbox Game Pass price increase
- Price increase for Xbox Series S|X (twice)
- PlayStation Plus price increase
- PlayStation 5 price increase
- Price revision for Nintendo Switch 2 accessories
- Price increase for Nintendo Switch
- New $80 price point for AAA games
Xbox has been criticized after two sharp price increases for Series S|X, bringing the cost of Series X to $650. Game Pass Ultimate has increased by 50% to $30 per month. Nintendo has set a price of $80 for a AAA game (Mario Kart World) for the first time and increased the cost of Switch 2 accessories by $5–10, and the console itself by $30–50. The PS5 has risen in price by $50, with Sony offering basic models with less memory. PS Plus prices have increased in 15 countries.
As a result, console games have become more expensive on all platforms, and further increases are likely, especially for subscriptions and new releases.