The prices of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S will be going up in Japan starting February 17th. Microsoft has announced a 5,000 yen price increase for each console, bringing the Xbox Series X from 54,978 yen to 59,978 yen and the Xbox Series S from 32,278 yen to 37,978 yen.
In a statement to Famitsu (translated by Gematsu), a Microsoft Japan representative said, “After carefully evaluating the market condition in Japan, we have decided to change the suggested retail price of Xbox consoles in the country. We regularly evaluate the impact of local pricing to maintain reasonable consistency across regions.
“This price revision affects our customers and was a difficult decision to make, but going forward, we will continue to provide the ultimate Xbox experience that our customers expect.”
The decision comes several months after Sony hiked the price of the PlayStation 5 in Japan along with Europe, the UK, Africa, Canada, Africa (EMEA), and other regions. It was due to “high global inflation rates” and “adverse currency trends.” The PS5 retails for 60,478 yen, while the PS5 Digital Edition costs 49,478 yen.
At the time, Microsoft confirmed that Xbox Series X/S pricing would remain the same. However, it did announce price increase for first-party titles, which will cost $70 from 2023 onwards. For now, Xbox Series X/S prices look to remain the same in other regions worldwide. Stay tuned for more updates in the coming months.