Microsoft confirms Xbox One games for Series X upgrade

Following a huge third-party Xbox Series X blowout earlier today, Microsoft has unveiled the first batch of games that will back its previously announced Smart Delivery scheme. This allows owners of certain Xbox One titles to upgrade to the slick Xbox Series X versions for free. As of today, a whopping ten games have been confirmed to support Smart Delivery, on top of Microsoft’s own first-party titles that will automatically qualify. We already knew CD Projekt’s Cyberpunk 2077 would take advantage of this feature, and now there’s a diverse range of other games added to the list. From massive blockbuster offerings like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla to more intimate affairs like the gorgeous 1930s tropical adventure Call of the Sea. Here’s the full list of third-party Smart Delivery games revealed so far: The Ascent (Curve Digital), Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (Ubisoft), Call of the Sea (Raw Fury), Chorus (Deep Silver), Cyberpunk 2077 (CD Projekt Red), DiRT 5 (Codemasters), Scarlet Nexus (Bandai Namco), Second Extinction (Systemic Reaction), Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 (Paradox Interactive), and Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Sega). Meanwhile, EA has also announced it will offer a free next-gen upgrade for Madden NFL 21, but it’s taking a unique approach. Instead of providing the ability to upgrade at any time through Smart Delivery, the publisher is restricting upgrades to a limited window. To qualify, you need to purchase the Xbox One version of Madden NFL 21 by December 31 this year and complete the Xbox Series X upgrade by March 31, 2021, or else you’ll have to do the classic double-dip. Despite EA’s unnecessary complications, this is a promising start for Microsoft’s Smart Delivery feature with a good spread of publishers involved. No doubt more titles will be added as the Xbox Series X’s “holiday 2020” launch approaches. An image of a shiny Xbox Series X console is included here.