It’s official, Microsoft has confirmed that it’s raising the price of the Xbox Series X and Series S in Japan, a decision that honestly surprised me because This market has always been the most complex for the Redmond-based giant, and the move could further reduce the Japanese public’s interest in both consoles.

Xbox Series X and Series S price increases will take effect from February 17th in that country, leaving both consoles in the following location:

• The Xbox Series X will cost from ¥54,978 per price 59,978 yen, it is an increase of ¥5,000. In euros, we would have an increase from 388.57 to 423.91 euros, i.e. by 35.34 euros more.
• Xbox Series S will rise from ¥32,278 to 37,978 yen, which also represents an increase of ¥5,000 (€35.34 more). In euros, these prices are equivalent to 228.13 euros and 263.47 euros.

I wanted to explain the increase in detail so that you are clear about Microsoft’s move. The truth is, compared to what Sony was doing at the time, we can see that The Redmond giant was more reserved, because this price increase does not reach 50 euros. However, I think the important thing is that we read between the lines and realize that this may only be the tip of the iceberg.

That’s what I mean it is highly likely that Microsoft is considering a global price increase for the Xbox Series X and Series S. It makes sense, and in fact Phil Spencer himself said at the end of last year that although there was no time to raise prices, in response to Sony’s decision to raise the price of the PS5, he could not guarantee that the prices of its consoles, games and services should have remained unchanged indefinitely.

The explanation provided by Microsoft is quite simple, the giant says that after evaluating the market conditions in Japan, they decided to increase the price of both consoles, explaining that “will monitor the impact of local pricing to maintain consistent pricing across regions”. It also acknowledged that these types of decisions are always difficult, but that it will continue to deliver the ultimate Xbox experience that its customers expect.

It is not confirmed that Microsoft is going to increase the price of its consoles in other countries, but after seeing what happened in Japan Clearly, this is a possibility that is gaining momentum. The Xbox Series X can easily be bought outright at its MSRP and the Xbox Series S was available for just €239, so if you’re thinking of buying one of these two consoles, I’d recommend not delaying too long as you’ll end up with the price going up anyway.

Before I finish, I remind you that the price of exclusive games for Xbox Series X and Series S is also the same It increased from 59.99 euros to 69.99 euros.