Highlights
Following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, several Halo titles on Steam have seen price increases in certain regions.
In countries like Argentina, the prices of The Master Chief Collection and Halo Wars: Definitive Edition have significantly increased. In just one month, the price of Halo: The Master Chief Collection went from ARS$3.999,00 to ARS$15.999,00.
Other franchises like Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, and Spyro have also experienced price adjustments, though the reasons for these increases remain unclear. Potential buyers in the affected regions will need to take these price changes into consideration until Microsoft offers clarification.
After the recent purchase of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft, the prices of several Halo titles on Steam have risen in various regions. This price increase also applies to other titles from the Activision Blizzard library that are affected in similar regions.
Microsoft faced numerous challenges in the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard. The involvement of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) played a significant role in Microsoft's successful bid to purchase the publishing giant for $69 billion. Despite a lengthy journey to acquire Activision Blizzard, Microsoft has accomplished its objective and now controls multiple renowned franchises in the industry. Although the acquisition process has only recently been officially completed, Microsoft is already making changes to the prices of their famous Halo titles.
With a plethora of popular titles now being added to the Microsoft lineup, several Halo games on Steam have undergone price adjustments. Primarily, these adjustments pertain to the Master Chief Collection, which includes affected titles such as Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 4, and Reach. However, the prices for ODST and Infinite (campaign mode) remain unaffected, despite ODST being a part of the Master Chief Collection. While some of these games have seen minor price changes, others have experienced significant price hikes in specific regions, including Argentina, Kuwait, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and more.
After thorough analysis, it has become evident that there are significant price disparities among various installments of the Halo franchise. One notable example is Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which originally had a price of ARS$3.999,00 in Argentina in September 2023. However, the current price for this title is ARS$15.999,00. Similarly, Halo Wars: Definitive Edition experienced a comparable trend, with a price change from ARS$1.999,00 to ARS$7.999,90 over the past month. While other Halo games also underwent price adjustments, their differences were not as dramatic as those seen in the Master Chief Collection and Halo Wars: Definitive Edition. This trend was similarly observed in titles like Spartan Assault and Spartan Strike, although the price gaps were not as wide. Interestingly, a few select games from the Call of Duty franchise were also impacted by these price fluctuations. Additionally, franchises like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice were also affected by the same phenomenon.
The reasons for the increase in game prices are unclear, although it may be a result of the Activision Blizzard acquisition. It could be an attempt to adjust the pricing of various games under the Microsoft brand, but the specific rationale behind these changes is not explained. However, potential consumers should take note of these price hikes, especially if they only impact certain regions. With Microsoft now having a wide selection of both older and newer franchises, it is possible that other titles may also undergo similar price adjustments. Until Microsoft provides an official statement on these price changes, players in the aforementioned regions will have to accept the new prices.
