Xbox boss Phil Spencerrevealed today how the company’s gaming ecosystem is going to work going forward. In addition to the powerful new Xbox Series X hardware, Spencer detailed Smart Delivery. This initiative ensures that if you buy a first-party Microsoft game on Xbox One, it will work on Series X at no additional charge. Smart Delivery is also available as an option for third-party developers and publishers. Developer CD Projekt Red confirmed this morning that its upcoming open-world adventure Cyberpunk 2077 will support the multi-generational cross-buy program.
Regardless, there are plenty of places you can purchase or pre-order Play Anywhere games online including your Xbox One console, the Xbox App, the Windows Store, Xbox.com, Microsoft.com.
Here’s what CD Projekt Red said in a post on Twitter:
Gamers should never be forced to purchase the same game twice or pay for upgrades. Owners of Cyberpunk2077 for Xbox One will receive the Xbox Series X upgrade for free when available.
This is the first third-party studio to confirm support for the Xbox One/Series X cross-buy program. For its part, Microsoft confirmed that any game exclusive it publishes will automatically use this feature.
“We’re making the commitment to use Smart Delivery on all our exclusive Xbox Game Studios titles, including Halo Infinite, ensuring you only have to purchase a title once in order to play the best available version for whichever Xbox console they choose to play on,” writes Spencer. “This technology is available for all developers and publishers, and they can choose to use it for titles that will be release on Xbox One first and come to the Xbox Series X later.”
This is different from Xbox Play Anywhere, which enables you to buy a Microsoft game and play it on PC or Xbox. Third-party games usually do not support Play Anywhere.
Cyberpunk 2077 cross-buy may mean no Xbox Series X remaster
Compatibility is one of the core features that Microsoft is hyping up for the next-gen Xbox. The Series X plays Xbox One games, and therefore it also supports that system’s emulation for Xbox 360 and original Xbox games. And Spencer says they will look better than ever.
But fans have come to expect that sort of backward compatibility. What was still a question was how cross-generation upgrades would work.
In the past, publishers have made a lot of money repackaging older games as selling them as remasters for current hardware. Smart Delivery would seemingly spoil that business while also giving customers more confidence that their purchases have some permanence.
So CD Projekt Red can’t sell the same game to people who upgrade from Xbox One to Xbox Series X. But it might see fewer people hold off on purchasing Cyberpunk 2077 until they purchase a new box. That could lessen the effect of the transition to the Xbox Series X (and PlayStation 5). You can start buying Xbox Series X games now, play them on Xbox One, and then get the upgrade for free.
Cyberpunk 2077 launches April 16 for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 4.
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Steam vs Consoles (Xbox/Microsoft and PS4 )
ARK is available on multiple platforms, but there seems to be a lot of confusion about who can play together!!
As it stands right now (based on everything found on the web….. this is subject to change at any time), you can ONLY play with other players, if you meet the following conditions;
Can You Play Xbox Play Anywhere Games On Mac Free
Steam Version -Windows, Steam-Linux and Steam-Mac. You “can” play together on a Steam based server.
PS4 Version – with other PS4 players or a special custom PC server, available from Studio Wildcard ‘selected’ hosting providers.
Microsoft/Xbox Version – with other Xbox players and/or those running the Windows 10 version of ARK (available in the Windows App store).
With this said…
PS4 players CANNOT play with Steam or Xbox/Microsoft players,
Xbox players CAN ONLY play with the Xbox/Microsoft versions of ARK (available on the Microsoft Store),
Steam players CAN ONLY play with other Steam version players/servers.
Currently TRUgaming ONLY offers servers running the STEAM VERSION of ARK.
Epic Game Store Ark Release:
With the release of the Epic Game Store version of Ark, there are a few things to note: (These are subject to change)
Xbox Game Pass
- You can ONLY play on a Steam server that; 1) has no mods and 2) no password.
- ** The Epic Game Store version of Ark is Windows ONLY, you still CAN NOT play with other players running Xbox, Microsoft Store or PS4 versions of Ark. **