Microsoft Is Looking Into Competitive Xbox One Digital Games Pricing

Users fed up with the relatively high price of a digital title for Microsoft’s Xbox One console could be in for some relief soon. At least, that’s according to Microsoft’s Larry Hyrb.

Hyrb added his comments to a post about digital game titles and more on Redditt late Thursday night. Originally, that post was intended to make sure that Hyrb and Microsoft were aware that digital downloads were upset over not being able to take advantage of the $10 Xbox Store gift card that users get when they pre-order Titanfall, an upcoming Xbox One game.

After indicating that the $10 deal wasn’t something that was being driven by Microsoft but by game retailers themselves Hyrb noted that he didn’t have any news to share about digital pre-orders features but would the moment he could.

A follow-up question from another reader specifically asked about the way digital titles on the Xbox One work today, saying “I hope [updates and features Microsoft has planned] include competitive pricing for digital downloads, because it does feel like we are being punished for downloading digitally.”

Hyrb didn’t talk specifically about the plans Microsoft has to address digital downloads or the rather prickly nature of buying games digitally on the Xbox One. However, he did at least acknowledge that the company had something in the works with a simple “[Addressing digital download user concerns] is indeed on the agenda.”

That’s at least some good news for users who feel that digital downloads on the Xbox One aren’t as robust or consumer friendly as they could be. While Xbox One users can download all the Xbox One’s titles the day that they’re available in retail stores, the Xbox Live Games Store’s pricing and offers don’t exactly mirror that of retailers. So far, Microsoft hasn’t even made it clear if users will be able to pre-order digital games so that they can play them at the same time as disc buyers — at midnight on launch morning for example.

It’s for these reasons that many Xbox One owners still prefer to buy their games at a retail store. Certainly, being able to trade those disc-based games back to retailers for cash or credit towards other games doesn’t hurt either.

Read: Review – Xbox One

The Xbox One is available for $499, users can pre-order Titanfall from Microsoft’s online store now to get the $10 Xbox Store gift card.