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Xbox Tells Devs That Next-Gen Upgrades Should Be Free

By: David
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In a leaked report, it appears that Microsoft are telling devs that next-gen upgrades should be free and they shouldn’t be used to make more money. Microsoft have been promoting the Xbox Series X Smart Delivery service which allows players to upgrade their Xbox One version of a game to the Xbox Series X when they make the leap to next-gen. Other companies such as EA have created their own version, such as EA’s Dual Entertainment.

In the report leaked by VGC, Microsoft stated;

“Developers and publishers ultimately decide how they deliver their games, and we work with them to provide the best possible experience based on their needs.”

It seems that upgrades being free isn’t a policy but rather a recommendation. Many developers have already committed their games to being upgradeable for free, such as Cyberpunk 2077, FIFA 21 & NBA 2K21. Microsoft are also pushing their Smart Delivery service, which will include Halo Infinite, allowing players to buy the game on Xbox One and later upgrade their version.

In a statement made to VGC, Microsoft told them;

“At Xbox, the player is at the center of everything we do, which is why we’re committed to supporting exclusive Xbox Game Studios titles, including ’Halo Infinite,’ with Smart Delivery, providing the best available version for whichever console you choose to play on.

“It will be up to individual developers to determine whether they implement Smart Delivery, and they can choose to use it for titles that will release on Xbox One first and come to Xbox Series X later.”

“In addition, developer feedback was a top priority when the team created Xbox Series X and the development tools that go with it, which means the tools used to build games on Xbox Series X are the exact tools used to build games on Windows 10 PC, Xbox One and the cloud.

“This makes it as easy as possible for developers to ship games across multiple devices, while taking advantage of the unique capabilities of the specific device that they’re on. That is also why we offer a suite of features and capabilities in how to distribute content, including Smart Delivery, for developers to take advantage of on Xbox.

“However, developers and publishers ultimately decide how they deliver their games, and we work with them to provide the best possible experience based on their needs.”

Cyberpunk 2077 Controller

With their console losing the console race (with the PS4 more than doubling Xbox One sales), Microsoft have a lot of ground to make up during the next generation. And it seems Microsoft are doing whatever they need to do to keep developers happy and make developing for the Xbox Series X as simple as possible.

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