Welp, Amazon Prime is about to get more expensive in the United States

The new annual membership price will be $139

Amazon intends to increase the price of Amazon Prime in the United States soon, which is to be expected, but a bummer, all the same. What’s the damage? Monthly charges are shifting from $12.99 to $14.99, and the yearly subscription is rising from $119 to $139.

Gaming’s favorite good-news-bearer @Wario64 was the messenger of this unpleasant update, which just feels wrong. But we appreciate the heads-up, now and forever.

Amazon Prime is increasing price, annual membership from $119 to $139 and monthly fee from $12.99 to $14.99. Price change in effect for new members on Feb 18th and for current members will apply after March 25, on date of next renewal. pic.twitter.com/6FXhtEsLwK

— Wario64 (@Wario64) February 3, 2022

If you’re curious where you — and anyone else who’s piled onto a not-so-sneakily shared plan — might stand, check this page to see your status and renewal date. For new members, the price increase is scheduled for February 18, 2022, while current Prime subscribers will pay more “after March 25, 2022, on the date of their next renewal.”

Publicly, Amazon cited “new program benefits like prescription savings and fast, free delivery from Amazon Pharmacy and the continually growing Amazon Music for Prime members, Prime Reading, and Prime Gaming” as reasons for charging extra.

Of course, that’s just part of the story in this “barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity.” I know we’ve redeemed a whole lot of “free” PC games — recently, the likes of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Total War: Warhammer — but is that initiative enough to help offset the price hike? Were you already on the fence as is?

Given how many of us are out here ordering new games to play at launch, to say nothing of our online movie-watching and buying-random-stuff-in-a-pinch habits, we might be in too deep, unable to shed. As the Account Holder who’s got an extended family all lumped together on my Prime subscription, I’ve just gotta eat it. That’s an extra $20 gone.

If you’re a student, cling to those discounts. Paying for Amazon Prime is one of those things that I try not to dwell on. As the ethereal voice commands, “It is what it is.”