PlayStation 5 price hike slammed by Xbox bosses

I dread to think what the scenes are like at Xbox and Microsoft HQ right now. In case you missed it, a file of highly confidential documents used in Microsoft’s battle against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has leaked online.

This is perhaps the most significant leak we’ve seen in the industry since last year’s Grand Theft Auto VI development footage leak. Everyone is now privy to several major Microsoft/Xbox secrets including plans of upcoming consoles and game releases. We know that a revised Series X console is set to launch next year, while a cloud-hybrid next-gen console is planned for 2028. Bethesda is reportedly working on a Fallout 3 remaster, plus it’s been discovered that Microsoft attempted to acquire Nintendo. All in all, it’s been a chaotic morning. Now, one internal Xbox email sees several personnel slam the PlayStation 5’s previous price hike.

Take a look at our video review of the recent Bethesda release Starfield.

As reported by The Verge, one leaked document details an email sent by Xbox CFO Tim Stuart to Xbox head Phil Spencer and Microsoft CFO Amy Hood following Sony’s announcement of a PS5 price rise in early 2022. Microsoft reportedly “anticipated this” adding that they were “moving quickly toward a plan now that we’ve seen confirmation”.

For context, Sony raised the price of the PS5 by 10% in Europe, 12.5% in Japan, and 6% in the UK. In the email chain, former head of consumer sales and marketing Ami Silverman added, “All good points, let’s be gamer obsessed here as we have not gotten out of the woods … We know this could be our time to win fans vs lose being a follower.”

By the sounds of it, Microsoft believed that the PS5’s price rise would alienate fans, suggesting that they didn’t want to do the same, particularly as Xbox sales were behind those of PlayStation. The company spotted an opportunity to win gamers over. In the end, the Series X did receive a price rise but not for almost a year, so you could call their criticism hypocritical.