Microsoft has increased the price of its Xbox Development Kit, making it more expensive for studios to make games for the console.
As reported by The Verge, the dev kit has bumped up from $1500 to $2000 – a 30 percent increase in cost.
“The adjustment reflects macroeconomic developments,” reads an announcement to developers from Microsoft. “We remain committed to providing high-quality tools and support for your development efforts.”
Not only is this price coming into effect immediately, The Verge understands this will impact developers in Europe and elsewhere, not just the US.
The price hike follows price increases in recent months for both the Xbox console and its flagship subscription Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
In the US, the cost of both the Xbox Series X and S consoles increased from 3rd October – the disc-playing Series X model now costs $649.99, an increase of $50.
Game Pass Ultimate, meanwhile, increased by over 50 percent – in the UK it now costs £22.99 per month. This is the top tier of the subscription, though PC Game Pass also increased in price. Some countries are yet to see the price increase.
As The Verge explained, the Xbox dev kit is already expensive due to additional hardware to allow developers to test their games for both the Series X and S models.
All of this follows increased profits for Microsoft, as reported in its earnings call in July, including record subscription revenue thanks to Game Pass.
“Microsoft is thriving,” claimed CEO and chairman Satya Nadella, following layoffs across the business in July.
