In a new interview with Brandon Adler, director of The Outer Worlds 2 from Obsidian Studios, which is scheduled for release next October, when asked about the $80 price tag for the game, he replied that the pricing is a matter for the Xbox division, not the development team.
Microsoft had previously announced that it intends to increase the prices of Xbox Studios games starting next fall, and The Outer Worlds 2 is the first game with the new pricing. Of course, not all games will be at this price, but each game has its own unique circumstances.
