Microsoft has reportedly warned Xbox Series X developers not to charge for DLC updates from the current generation to the next. The move appears to aim to discourage publishers from charging for a service that Microsoft is trying to make a major pillar of its platform with Smart Delivery. Microsoft wants a smoother transition between generations of consoles with players able to maintain their games and get updates when they move to Xbox Series X. Normally, that would cost quite a bit of money.
VGC reports that the company is encouraging publishers to adopt a no-cost upgrade model, such as Smart Delivery or EA’s Dual Tititlement. The report does not definitively establish whether Microsoft has established a formal rule on the practice of charging for updates on its platform. With the EA program, you don’t have unlimited time to upgrade. However, with annual releases like Madden, you’ll be able to get the Xbox Series X version for free as long as you buy it before next year’s game releases.
Despite that, the company is said to be leaving the door open to other mechanisms to allow updates. In addition to free digital updates like the previous ones, he hasn’t ruled out schemes like selling a discounted next-gen version, or selling “inter-generation packs” that include two versions of the game. We’ve already seen it in action this week with the announcement of the Kobe Bryant edition of NBA 2K21, which will sell both versions for $ 100. The regular edition on both platforms will cost $ 60 in the current generation and $ 70 in the next generation. which can become the new normal.
Movement makes sense. Microsoft is making Smart Delivery an important part of its approach to the next generation, even promising not to publish next-generation exclusives for the start of the new life cycle. The company appears to be aiming to make this a smooth transition, with less harsh and quick distinctions between its consoles. If publishers could charge for updates, many might choose to do that, undermining some of Microsoft’s messages.
It is a huge departure from past generations, which generally did not offer any discount when buying for the next generation. This was even true at the beginning of the generation, when many of the games featured on the systems of the two generations were almost identical.
So far, only a dozen games have been announced for Smart Delivery, including all first-party games like Halo Infinite along with some notable third-party games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Cyberpunk 2077.
Sony has not committed to a similar policy for its next-generation PlayStation 5. It has already said that, unlike Microsoft, it will publish next-generation exclusives from the start.
