Microsoft has announced that its next-generation Xbox Series X and Series S consoles will launch on 10 November, priced at £449.99 GBP and £249.88 GBP respectively.
Previously, Microsoft and Sony had been engaged in something of a stand-off, with neither wanting to be the first to reveal the prices and launch dates of their next-gen consoles. But leaks forced Microsoft’s hand.
Microsoft had previously released a mass of technical details for the fully-specified Xbox Series X, but had remained tight-lipped about the digital-only (that is, it lacks an optical disk drive) Xbox Series X. The Series X’s retail price of £249.99 GBP is very competitive indeed for a new console, and Microsoft has also finally revealed what it will look like – much more attractive and compact than its higher-specced sibling, which has the sort of high initial retail price that we have come to expect from a new console.
Microsoft’s Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, said in a blogpost: “We know that price is an important factor for many of our fans. To complement Xbox Series X and invite more players into the next generation sooner, we built Xbox Series S—an all-digital, next-gen console designed to deliver everything that is core to next-generation gaming – faster load times, higher frame rates, and richer, more dynamic worlds – in our smallest, sleekest Xbox ever. Developing two consoles in parallel from the beginning enables us to deliver the most powerful console ever in Xbox Series X and make next-gen gaming available and affordable to more players on day one with Xbox Series S.”
Further lowering the barrier for entry to a new generation of consoles, Microsoft also revealed that it will be possible to buy either new console by paying a mobile phone-style monthly subscription with no initial upfront costs, via the Xbox All Access programme. Microsoft said: “With Xbox All Access, gamers can choose the Xbox console that fits their needs, as well as a 24-month membership to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (access to over 100 high-quality games and online multiplayer with Xbox Live Gold), from £20.99 GBP a month for 24 months – with no upfront cost.”
Presumably, that £20.99 GBP will get you an Xbox Series S: in the US, buying a Series S via Xbox All Access will cost $24.99 USD per month, and a Series X will cost $34.99 USD per month (for contracts running over 24 months). So, it’s reasonable to assume that the UK cost of buying an Xbox Series X via Xbox All Access will be in the vicinity of £30.99 GBP per month for 24 months.
Microsoft made one other announcement: a tie-up with Electronic Arts for the Series S and Series X launch, which will mean that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass for PC subscribers will get a free subscription to EA Play (previously known as EA Origin Access). Phil Spencer said: “In addition to the 100+ games in the Xbox Game Pass library today, Ultimate and PC members will be able to play more than 60 of EA’s biggest and best console and PC games like FIFA 20, Titanfall 2 and Need for Speed Heat, as well as titles from some of EA’s most popular franchises like Battlefield, Mass Effect, Skate, and The Sims. Some of the best EA Play games will also be available for Ultimate members to play on Android devices from the cloud at no additional cost.”
The ball is now in Sony’s court: it will be interesting to see whether it will be able to undercut the Series X by giving the PlayStation 5 a £399 GBPretail price, given that it is not expected to have a cheaper digital-only variant of the console at launch. It is likely that Sony will also follow Microsoft’s example with a similar buy-via-monthly-subscription deal, though.
