Bad news for upcoming PS5 and Xbox Series X owners: Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will not get a free upgrade from current consoles to next-generation gaming machines.
But you can pay for a “cross-gen” bundle for an extra $ 10, allowing you to play the game on the new consoles when they arrive in November. The cross-gen bundle costs $ 69.99 on both the PlayStation Store and the Microsoft Store; standard console editions cost $ 59.99.
If you choose to get a cross-gen bundle, you get an upgrade to the PS5 and Xbox Series X version of the game without having to buy it again. In an FAQ, Activision states that the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game will work on next-gen consoles, but will not include new next-gen features such as raytracing or graphics upgrades.
You can upgrade your Cold War PS4 copy to the PS5 version through the PlayStation Store, probably for a $ 10 fee. Please note that if you are upgrading your physical copy of the game, you will still need to use your PS4 disc to to play on PS5 (something to keep in mind when thinking about buying the discless PS5 Digital Edition).
Meanwhile, Activision notes that the physical Xbox Series X version of Cold War can be played on both Xbox One and Xbox Series X, so that seems like the best bet for Xbox players. The physical next-gen versions of Cold War will cost $ 70, which is the same price as the digital cross-gen bundles for both PlayStation and Xbox.
Fragmentation of next generation
It’s nothing new in the console world for publishers to try to sell gamers an upgraded version of a game they’ve already hit next-gen consoles. But PS5 and Xbox Series X aim to shake up the status quo a bit with extensive backwards compatibility that offers visual upgrades, and in some cases free upgrades for games that pass from one generation to the next.
But Activision’s move with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is flying in the face of Microsoft’s Smart Delivery initiative, where all games purchased on an Xbox One automatically include a free upgrade for those who jump to the Xbox Series X . Sony does not have this strategy, although games like Marvel’s Avengers and Madden NFL 21 offer free PS5 upgrades on a title-by-title basis.
Cyberpunk 2077 on PS5 and Xbox Series X will be offered as a free upgrade by CD Project Red to anyone who purchased the game on today’s relevant consoles. And the same will be true for new Destiny 2 content.
You can pre-order Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, which will give you early access to the open beta and access to the “Confrontation” weapon package, as well as Operator Frank Woods and a Weapon Blueprint assault rifle for immediate use in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Warzone. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will be available on November 13th.
