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[LakeOf9]

After raising prices on Xbox consoles and subscriptions, Microsoft is now turning its attention to Xbox developers. Sources familiar with Microsoft's plans tell The Verge that the company is significantly increasing the price of its Xbox Development Kit (XDK) — the custom hardware used by developers to build Xbox games.

The current Xbox dev kit is moving from $1,500 to $2,000, a 33 percent jump in price. "The adjustment reflects macroeconomic developments," says Microsoft in an announcement to Xbox developers, seen by The Verge. "We remain committed to providing high-quality tools and support for your development efforts.

The short announcement from Microsoft's Xbox developer relations team makes it clear that this price increase goes into effect immediately. I understand it's not just impacting US developers, as the price of these development kits is also going up across Europe and elsewhere. That's likely because those "macroeconomic" conditions extend beyond just US tariffs, with currency fluctuations, production costs, and other elements impacting pricing.

Microsoft's Xbox dev kit was already expensive because it comes with additional hardware on the inside and out, to let developers build and test Xbox games for both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles. Microsoft has equipped its latest dev kit with 40GB of GDDR6 memory, instead of the 16GB found on the Xbox Series X console. It also has a more compute units enabled, the all-important debugging tools onboard for testing games, and three USB ports at the front. Microsoft also equips its Xbox dev kits with a front panel display and five programmable buttons.

Even Xbox developer kits are getting a big price hike

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

What game dev in their right mind would be buying an Xbox DK at this stage?

 

[Fake]

 

[acm2000]

have sony put theirs up? tariffs n all that spaff

 

[kaizenkko]

At this point I think Microsoft is deliberately trying to make their console die.

Also, I didn't know developers need to buy devkits.

 

[Xbox 360 slim]

Platform is so dead. Just port the OG/360 library to windows and bury it.

 

[adamsapple]

What game dev in their right mind would be buying an Xbox DK at this stage?

Yeah, you'd think almost all developers would have multiples of them already.

 

[AJUMP23]

Sound like sabotage. I figure you give away dev kits to get products. Morons running this show.

You use to be able to turn any XBOX into a Dev kit. When did that change?

 

[Magic-DEI-Hire]

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

I'm getting the impression that Microsoft has told Xbox division that they need to either achieve some profit margin or else it's over. Seems like they no longer see this as some long term strategic priority.

 

[kevboard]

Sound like sabotage. I figure you give away dev kits to get products. Morons running this show.

You use to be able to turn any XBOX into a Dev kit. When did that change?

you can still use any Xbox as a dev kit, but the dev mode doesn't have access to the whole hardware, and is only neant for small indy projects, like 2D games, or small Unity engine titles.

 

[Astray]

What game dev in their right mind would be buying an Xbox DK at this stage?

Devs who didn't have one or are trying to expand their offerings on the platform via ports etc.

 

[Ellis]

The splits are already massive. This just gives publishers another reason to no longer support Xbox.

Sony could also raise theirs, but the majority of third party published games sell far more on PS5 anyway.

Expect a huge number of small studio games to no longer release on Xbox in the near future.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

they want the Xbox division to have 30% profit margins... yeah.... that ain't happening chief

 

[dragonyeuw]

Yes, a brand that has issue actually getting its userbase to buy games, obviously has all the leverage to increase the cost of dev kits. This won't discourage development for Xbox at all, nope.

 

[winjer]

Microsoft just keeps on shooting themselves on the foot.

 

[firegamer273]

lmao they really want their consoles to die fast .

 

[Lionel Richie]

I'm getting the impression that Microsoft has told Xbox division that they need to either achieve some profit margin or else it's over. Seems like they no longer see this as some long term strategic priority.

I see this differently, I think they all know it's far too late for that and they're already in the "it's over" phase. Someone here talked about sabotage and yeah, they're just slowly killing it.

 

[Bernkastel]

Ripping of game devs now. Thats a new low.

 

[GHG]

Just in time to sell next gen dev kits instead right?

Right?

 

[DarkShadowXI]

Jesus Christ, what's next? Raising the price of looking at Xbox?

 

[mckmas8808]

I'm getting the impression that Microsoft has told Xbox division that they need to either achieve some profit margin or else it's over. Seems like they no longer see this as some long term strategic priority.

Totally agreed. Something has CLEARLY changed as of late.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

Ripping of game devs now. Thats a new low.

Still yet $2k IF the platform was huge isn't a bad investment

I am pretty sure I recall DKs for like the 360 and even PS3 costing like 10x that amount, could be wrong though

 

[Gonzito]

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

gaming pc's are more expensive, makes sense.

 

[Setsuna Mudou]

Just in time to sell next gen dev kits instead right?

Right?

 

[begotten]

What sane developer is even buying it now? And why would smaller studios do so?

The small quantity of next-gen, third-party manufactured "Xbox" hardware is going to be running the PC versions of games anyways.

What was that quote again of some developer asking about an Xbox version of their game and the MS people were just like "Nah don't worry about it"

 

[mckmas8808]

Just in time to sell next gen dev kits instead right?

Right?

That's a good point.....

 

[digoutyoursoul]

Be putting Achievements behind the Gamepass paywall next

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

I see this differently, I think they all know it's far too late for that and they're already in the "it's over" phase. Someone here talked about sabotage and yeah, they're just slowly killing it.

He is right. Xbox is trying to increase their profit margin pronto. It's not like they are slowly killing it; more like it's already dead and trying to make it come back to life by all means necessary... of course, nothing is working.

 

[Ceadeus]

What a nice strategy

 

[Xbox 360 slim]

I'm getting the impression that Microsoft has told Xbox division that they need to either achieve some profit margin or else it's over. Seems like they no longer see this as some long term strategic priority.

I think i read that's what Amy Hood told them before the gamepass price hike.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Every Xbox now comes with a lump of dogshit in the box because hey why not at this point.

 

[Alan Wake]

They just can't kill it fast enough apparently.

 

[jm89]

Dev kits are low volume why be this cheap?

 

[PlayStaytion]

Yeah, you'd think almost all developers would have multiples of them already.

 

[Alan Wake]

Jesus Christ, what's next? Raising the price of looking at Xbox?

That becomes a problem when everything is an Xbox.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Microsoft's mission to quietly move everyone to PC is successfully underway.

 

[Fake]

Jesus Christ, what's next? Raising the price of looking at Xbox?

 

[Ev1L AuRoN]

Spineless bastards don't want to admit they want this gen to be done and move on to the next thing.

 

[JayK47]

What the actual fuck is going on?

 

[jshackles]

Microsoft's mission to quietly move everyone to PC is successfully underway.

Next they're gonna start charging for PC development kits

 

[Mr Hyde]

Microsoft:

Don't buy our consoles!

Don't subscribe to Game Pass!

Don't even think of developing games for us!

In fact, you can just FUCK OFF!

 

[Baemono]

The shady Sony deal numbers will rise unexpectedly in the coming months

 

[memoryman3]

How much does a PS5 development kit cost?

 

[Bondo]

A beta fish could run Xbox better.

 

[Bernkastel]

In fact, you can just FUCK OFF!

Why can't they fuck off from gaming and computer OS?

 

[Mr Moose]

How much does a PS5 development kit cost?

Complimentary PlayStation Development Hardware

It is our goal to make PlayStation the best place to publish and play games of all shapes and sizes. We constantly strive to lower the barriers of entry and improve the process for publishing on PlayStation. As such, we are happy to continue to offer free PS5 development hardware to newly...

sonyinteractive.com

It is our goal to make PlayStation the best place to publish and play games of all shapes and sizes. We constantly strive to lower the barriers of entry and improve the process for publishing on PlayStation. As such, we are happy to continue to offer free PS5 development hardware to newly registered partners – game publishers and developers – subject to our standard terms and conditions.

Once you are registered as a partner and your game concept has been accepted, you may request one complimentary development kit and one complimentary test kit, which will both need to be returned to SIE within 2 years (or earlier, at SIE's request).

One free for 2 years.

 

[xrnzaaas]

In a normal situation Microsoft would be asking devs to release more games for their consoles. Just another proof that we're living in a different world now, MS just lacks the courage to cut the cord.

 

[lughnasadh123]

I can't imagine Devs really caring all that much unless they're in a unique position to benefit from a GP deal. Not that it matters as their new system with be a PC with some Xbox friendly software baked in to more easily play your existing library.