This morning, Microsoft took the time to clarify how Xbox Smart Delivery feature will work on their next-gen Xbox console, the Xbox Series X. With the next generation of console wars set to come to a head when the holiday season rolls around, a concern has been players having to buy games on both their older consoles, and again on when the next-gen releases.
Microsoft first revealed Smart Delivery to the world back in March, before later elaborating on the feature during the May edition of their semi-monthly Xbox 20/20 showcase series. Smart Delivery is their plan to bridge the gap between Xbox One, and the upcoming Xbox Series X. The idea is that players who buy a game on their Xbox One, will be able to download it for free if/when they upgrade to the Series X. Initially, Microsoft announced that all Xbox Game Studios titles that are optimized for Xbox Series X (including Halo Infinite) will support Smart Delivery at launch, and added that this technology would be available to all Xbox developers.
Players still had a few questions about the feature, namely about how the feature would work for third-party titles, but this morning Microsoft made an official site news post detailing the feature further. In it, Microsoft explained that, in addition to digital and Xbox Game Pass titles being eligible for Smart Delivery, "physical discs of Xbox games can also support Smart Delivery if the developer or publisher decides to implement it." Beyond the reveal that Xbox One discs would be supported by Smart Delivery, Microsoft also clarified how the feature would work for third-party developers by saying:
"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 [sic] 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."
The announcement had many more clarifications, including a reiteration that while Smart Delivery will be available to third-party developers, "it will be up to the individual developer to determine whether they take advantage of Smart Delivery." Microsoft would round out their news release with a list of cross-generational games currently slated for Smart Delivery, including big games like such as Halo Infinite, Cyberpunk 2077, and Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
Microsoft is betting on Smart Delivery to be a successful program much like the Xbox Game Pass has been, likely hoping to draw a similar amount of players to the Xbox Series X via its solid ecosystem. Still, no prices or a release date have been announced by either Microsoft or Sony. However, with the holidays approaching, both companies are trying to do whatever they can to get a leg-up on the other before making any concrete announcements that could hurt their sales (like a massive price tag, for example). Players have praised Microsoft for being receptive to them and making the right decisions with the Xbox One, such as backwards compatibility between the Xbox One and Xbox 360, as well as the aforementioned Game Pass. Though the odds aren't quite in their favor, Xbox Smart Delivery could prove to payoff in dividends.
Source: Xbox, Xbox/Twitter