"The best deal in gaming" has turned into "The most expensive deal in gaming".
Microsoft has significantly increased the cost of Xbox devkits, raising the price from $1,500 to $2,000, a 33% increase. This change affects developers worldwide and, according to the company, is due to "macroeconomic factors".
Console devkits are traditionally more expensive than consumer versions, as they are equipped with additional hardware and power for testing unfinished and unoptimized games, as well as special software for developers. The initial price of $1,500 was already high, but the new price tag of $2,000 makes the entry barrier for developers even higher.
Journalists joke that against the backdrop of rising prices for subscriptions, consoles for players, and now devkits for developers, Xbox's slogan "The best deal in gaming" should be renamed to "The most expensive deal in gaming".
