The developers behind Control might have been caught in a lie about the ability to upgrade players to a next-gen version for free, as some players were silently switched to the Ultimate Edition of the game. Unlike many other titles, 505 Games announced that players would have to buy a new copy of Control in order to get access to a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X version of the game.
505 Games caused a large amount of controversy earlier this year when the studio revealed that players would not get a free next-gen upgrade of Control when it becomes available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Anyone wishing to get a copy for those new platforms would have to purchase the newly-released Ultimate Edition of the game, despite the fact that many players will already own all of the content in that version. This was because upgrading existing players to a different version of the game was impossible, with the developer saying "the upgrade path that we are offering is only possible when upgrading from the same version of the game."
But it now appears as if 505 Games has been caught in a lie. Many gamers were already suspicious of the company's explanation about why they would have to upgrade to the Ultimate Edition of Control. Those suspicions have seemingly been confirmed with a number of users over at ResetEra reporting that they were silently upgraded from the Deluxe Edition to the Ultimate Edition of the title on PlayStation 4. These users were able to download this version of Control without payment, although most have now reverted back to the previous edition. What is clear, though, is that it is definitely possible to upgrade players, even if by accident. This makes a mockery of the studio's previous statement that it was "unfortunately unable to offer an upgrade path to all existing Control players."
Meanwhile, other developers and publishers have announced that many games will have free next-gen upgrades whenever they become available over the coming months. CD Projekt Red confirmed just a few days ago that The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt will come to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in an upgraded form that includes all previously released content. The likes of DOOM Eternal, The Elder Scrolls Online, and Destiny 2: Beyond Light will be available to players who already own current-gen versions.
If the reports that some players were accidentally upgraded from the Deluxe Edition of Control to the Ultimate Edition, it would seem to confirm that 505 Games has been less than truthful about its next-gen plans. According to the studio, this type of functionality simply was not possible but it seems clear now that it is. Not only will this destroy trust between the studio and its fans, but it also makes the company look greedy. Especially when other developers are offering their games free-of-charge to current owners.
Control is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Source: ResetEra