One key point from the Xbox Games Showcase over the weekend is that the era of $80 Xbox games has begun.
Huh. Must be nice.
Everyone’s excited about The Outer Worlds 2, as it’s the inaugural title from Xbox Game Studios to be priced at $80 USD.
In my location, which isn’t as frozen as some parts of Canada, I’m used to higher game prices. So, I checked how much the game was going to cost when it first came out.
It appears that my estimate of $90 was a bit overly hopeful, as The Outer Worlds 2 actually costs $100 in Canadian dollars. If you’re interested in the Premium Edition, it will set you back an additional $30, making the total $130.
Remember to include taxes during your purchase as they get added at the time of checkout in Canada. The amount varies depending on your location, but it can reach as high as 15% when you combine both provincial and federal taxes.
For Canadians, the cost of the Standard Edition will be increased to approximately $115, while the Premium Edition will go up to around $150 once all costs are accounted for.
My “Old man yells at cloud” moment is finally here
It’s clear to me that creating contemporary video games, particularly ones as extensive as The Outer Worlds 2, an immersive open-world RPG, doesn’t come cheap. Given my eagerness to experience it, I want the developers to be compensated fairly so they continue producing more engaging games in the future.
Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that there are numerous affordable alternatives for games available, particularly if you use Steam, where frequent discounted sales occur throughout the year.
But at what point do average gamers get priced out of the market for new, AAA games?
This feels like a nostalgic complaint, similar to an “old man grumbling about the clouds,” since it seems just yesterday I was spending $50 CAD on new games, money I earned from my part-time job during school hours.
A glance at the Bank of Canada’s wages statistics reveals that many individuals haven’t significantly increased their earnings since 2004, a time when video games were selling for just about half their current prices.
It seems that TOW2 offers a comparatively attractive price point against the latest Nintendo Switch 2 titles that parents might prioritize purchasing for their children.
For instance, the price of Super Mario Kart World is 110 Canadian dollars prior to taxes. As for Super Mario Party Jamboree, it will cost you 115 dollars, with an additional 17 dollars for taxes during checkout.
How did we arrive here so quickly? My colleague Richard Devine summed up the situation, saying:
Once Nintendo chose this particular path, we anticipated it was only a matter of time. Similarly, Xbox has raised its prices not long ago and openly stated that their adjustments wouldn’t be limited to just hardware upgrades.
It’s noteworthy to mention that Brandon Adler, director of The Outer Worlds 2, expressed thoughts about the reaction following the game’s pricing announcement. He stated that it was Xbox who determined the price, and he hopes everyone would have an opportunity to experience his creation.
According to Devine’s article, it’s possible that Microsoft is increasing the costs of Xbox Games Studio games as a tactic to boost Game Pass memberships.
I truly enjoy Game Pass and think it’s a great deal, yet some people might find another monthly subscription charge less appealing.
Exchange rates don’t make my wallet any heavier
The primary counterpoint to my statement revolves around exchange rates, however, merely spending less in other countries does not equate to an increase in personal wealth for me.
As I stand here, observing our financial landscape, I notice that one US dollar is approximately equivalent to 1.36 Canadian dollars at the moment. This means that my 80 US dollars translates into about 109 Canadian dollars. Though technically we might be getting a good deal up north, the reality doesn’t seem quite the same.
In recent times, both the UK and the EU have experienced price hikes, and the upcoming £70 price (which already accounts for taxes prior to purchase) for a game like TOW2 translates roughly to around $129 Canadian dollars.
Yay, I guess?
In your locale, what’s your take on the cost of video games? Share your thoughts in the comment area beneath.
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2025-06-14 00:09