Xbox Slaps 33% Price Hike on Dev Kits — Now $2,000 a Piece
Xbox has raised the price of its Xbox Development Kit from $1,500 to $2,000, a 33% increase, according to a report from The Verge. This affects the specialized consoles developers use to build and test games, and comes shortly after a separate Game Pass subscription price change earlier this year.
Price increase
The new cost moves a single Xbox dev kit from $1,500 to $2,000. Moreover, that change was first reported by The Verge, which cites details from developers who buy the hardware.
Who it hits
Dev kits are not retail consoles. Instead, they include extra tools and debug features that teams use during development. Therefore, studios that need several units for QA and testing could see higher upfront costs. For example, a small team might need one or two kits, while larger teams can require many more.
That said, Microsoft’s ID@Xbox program will continue to provide two free dev kits to independent developers for now, which helps smaller studios. More information can be found on the ID@Xbox program page.
How it compares
PlayStation dev kit pricing for the PS5 is not publicly listed, though Sony does offer some kits through its PlayStation partners program. Meanwhile, reports have put original Switch dev kit costs at about $440. So, while Xbox dev kits are pricier than some past hardware, platform differences and included tools vary.
Context and company response
Microsoft told outlets that the change “reflects macroeconomic developments,” using the same phrase it used when discussing earlier price moves. Additionally, recent tariffs — including a roughly 30% tariff on certain Chinese imports announced at the federal level — may influence hardware costs across the industry.
Finally, Microsoft’s gaming business reported gaming revenue of $23.5 billion in fiscal 2025, up from $21.5 billion the prior year. Therefore, while costs are rising for certain developer tools, the company’s overall gaming revenue has also grown.
