Microsoft has detailed its Smart Delivery system that aims to ensure Xbox Series X owners won’t have to buy games they already own for the Xbox One range.
The company has already announced that scheme that gamers who jump to the next-generation will automatically have access to the best version of the game at no additional cost. Now, in a blog post on Monday, the company is fleshing out the finer points and bringing a few key pieces of information to light.
Perhaps most interestingly, game saves will carry over between Xbox One and the version optimised for Xbox Series X. The firm says that uses the example of Cyberpunk 2077 to underline the effectiveness of the the new feature, which will be available at launch.
Microsoft writes: “Some new and existing Xbox One titles will be Optimizing their games after the Xbox Series X launches. For example, if you buy Cyberpunk 2077 when it launches on September 17, you’ll be set to explore Night City on Xbox One. If you pick up Xbox Series X at launch this holiday, you can play it there too in compatibility mode picking up exactly where you left off. Then, when CD PROJEKT RED delivers an Xbox Series X Optimized version of Cyberpunk 2077, you’ll automatically get upgraded once it’s available at no additional cost.”
Related: Best Xbox Series X Games
Microsoft also says that Game Pass titles are also compatible with the new Smart Delivery feature, including Gears 5, which will be optimised for the Series X console.
Microsoft is making the technology available to all Xbox game developers and is encouraging them to adopt Smart Delivery. Some may choose not to, but we imagine devs will be keen to jump aboard with this gamer-friendly new feature.
The company says all of its own Xbox Game Studios titles that are optimised for Xbox Series X will offer support – including Halo Infinite. The current confirmed list of Smart Delivery-compatible Optimised for Xbox Series X titles includes:
Halo Infinite
Cyberpunk 2077
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Destiny 2
DiRT 5
Scarlet Nexus
Chorus
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
The Ascent
Call of the Sea
Gears 5
Second Extinction
Metal: Hellslinger
The Xbox Series X is out later this year.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
