Microsoft is raising the price of its Xbox Development Kit (XDK) from $1,500 to $2,000, a 33% increase that will hit game developers with an additional $500 per kit. This move comes as part of “macroeconomic developments” and follows a month after Microsoft increased the price of its Xbox Series X|S consoles in response to tariffs.
Game development has become increasingly expensive over the years, with the cost of development kits being a significant factor. The new price hike will affect US developers, European teams, and other regions, potentially making it harder for smaller indie developers to bring their titles to Microsoft’s consoles.
Microsoft is planning to move the production of Surface and Xbox devices out of China in an effort to reduce hardware prices. However, this change may not be immediate, and the new price hike is already in effect.
Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/microsoft-is-giving-xbox-yet-another-price-hike-this-time-its-hitting-game-developers-and-macroeconomic-developments-are-to-blame