Microsoft has finally joined the growing number of publishers increasing the prices of their titles, as it's now been confirmed that Xbox games built for the Xbox Series X will cost $70 from the start of 2023.

That means that most of Xbox's big upcoming exclusives releasing next year - like Starfield, Forza Motorsport, and Arkane's Redfall - will be a bit more expensive on launch. This also probably means that announced titles with currently unknown release dates such as Fable, The Outer Worlds 2, and The Elder Scrolls VI will also likely cost $70 at launch. Microsoft has stated that regional prices may differ but hasn't released any specifics at the time of writing.

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In a statement provided to IGN, a Microsoft spokesperson explained that the price increase is down to the "content, scale, and technical complexity" of its exclusive titles. The company has also reassured fans that all of its upcoming exclusives will still launch on day one on Xbox Game Pass, which is definitely going to make the service a must-have for Xbox fans.

The news of this upcoming price increase is slightly disappointing, though not entirely unexpected. Xbox head Phil Spencer has been insinuating for quite some time that certain Xbox products were eventually going to increase in price. When he was questioned on potential price increases earlier this year, Spencer explained that "at some point we'll have to raise the prices on certain things."

It's possible we could also see increases in the price of the Xbox Series X console in general, as well as the price of an Xbox Game Pass subscription. With Xbox's games soon to cost $70, there's certainly manufactured justification there to argue Game Pass just got a lot more valuable. Whatever the case, being an Xbox fan just got a little more expensive.

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