Earlier this year, Microsoft had announced plans to price some of its new titles, including The Outer Worlds 2, at $80. However, the company has now reversed this decision.
Obsidian Entertainment confirmed that the standard edition of The Outer Worlds 2 will launch at $70. A Microsoft spokesperson informed IGN that none of its first-party games would be priced at $80 for the upcoming holiday season. While The Outer Worlds 2 was the only game specifically announced with an $80 price tag (despite some speculation about titles like Black Ops 7), Microsoft has now affirmed that no title from its studios will carry that price point this year.
The spokesperson stated, “We`re focused on bringing players incredible worlds to explore, and will keep our full-priced holiday releases, including The Outer Worlds 2, at $69.99—in line with current market conditions.”
Despite this official announcement, some online listings, such as on Xbox.com for The Outer Worlds 2, may still reflect the previously indicated $80 price for the standard edition and $100 for the premium version at the time of this report.
Players who pre-ordered The Outer Worlds 2 at the higher $80 price are eligible for a refund or reimbursement from the retailer where they made their purchase.
When Microsoft initially introduced the idea of $80 games, the company justified the decision by citing “careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development.”
With The Outer Worlds 2 no longer retailing for $80, Nintendo`s Mario Kart World stands out as one of the few major new releases from a prominent publisher that will be priced at $80 this year.