Xbox Series X Smart Delivery Physical Game Support
Oh, and you don’t even need to buy a digital copy of a game to get the Xbox Series X Smart Delivery perks. This is huge for folks who either want to own physical media or still get games gifted to them by friends and family. Microsoft hasn’t fully explained how Smart Delivery will work for physical games, but it will likely go through one of two ways.
If you pick up a Smart Delivery physical game, it may come with a code that you can enter for your Series X. Or, once you play a game on your Xbox, that game could get “attached” to your account for future Smart Delivery to the Xbox Series X and whatever systems come next.
This model plays off the excellent Movies Anywhere model, where movies from multiple major studios can be purchased either digitally or on Blu-ray, and be available on all of the different streaming platforms . When you buy one of those movies digitally, it gets added to your Movies Anywhere account, and with Blu-rays, you get a text-based code to enter at the Movies Anywhere website to add it to your profile.
Xbox Smart Delivery: Everything You Need To Know About The Xbox Series X Feature
Xbox Smart Delivery is an exciting new part of the Xbox ecosystem thats been introduced with Microsofts new Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles. Heres everything you need to know about what Xbox believes could be the future of gaming.
What is Smart Delivery? Its all about game ownership. Simply put, if you buy one version of an Xbox game that supports Smart Delivery, youll always have access to the best version of that game later down the line no matter which hardware youre playing it on.
That means if you buy Halo Infinite for your Xbox One, then later want to play it on Xbox Series X , you can. Your one-time purchase means youll have the best version possible of the game whichever Xbox console you choose to play on.
But thats not all. Save data is compatible across both consoles, too. So you can pick up where you left off on the console of your choice.
Cross-gen titles and next-gen enhancements are going to be a standard part of game release cycles in the next year or two so its a very useful initiative. Microsoft has committed to Smart Delivery on all of its exclusive Xbox Games Studios titles, and CD Projekt Red is among the third-party studios getting involved, having committed to doing the same with Cyberpunk 2077.
Heres everything we know about Xbox Smart Delivery so far, including every confirmed Xbox Smart Delivery game.
- Xbox Series X price: everything you need to know
Xbox Series X Smart Delivery: Everything We Know
Microsoft soon embarks on its next generation of consoles, with Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S dropping this November. The latest in AMD architectures helps bring sizeable performance boosts to gameplay, while a new solid-state storage setup promises drastic cuts to load times. It also couples that power with a new feature dubbed “Smart Delivery,” which aims to streamline the shift into the next generation.
The philosophy of Smart Delivery is simple: buy your Xbox games once for versions on Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X. With platform holders blurring the lines into the next hardware milestone, one license provides access on current devices, with a free upgrade to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S versions.
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Xbox Smart Delivery: What Exactly Is It And What Games Support It
With the console wars heating up between the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5, it looks like Xbox is offering a few new options for gamers. Both console manufacturers have now shown off their new consoles and the choice between the two is going to depend on exclusives and how gamers can move forward on their respective consoles. Xbox is actually offering something called Smart Delivery. Dont worry, were going to break down what exactly it is and what are the games that are supported by it.
Confirmed Xbox Smart Delivery Titles At A Glance
Here is, in brief, a list of confirmed Xbox Smart Delivery games:
Here is, in brief, a list of confirmed Xbox Smart Delivery games.
Smart Delivery games available on Xbox Series X / S’s launch:
- Assassins Creed Valhalla
Interested in learning more about Microsoft’s next-gen plans?Here is everything we know about Xbox Series S vs X, the full set of confirmed Xbox Series X specs and features and the console design, size, dimensions and ports, the Xbox Series controller and confirmed Xbox Series games, including those which support Xbox Smart Delivery.The Xbox Series line of consoles will also support the ongoing library of Xbox Game Pass games.When you’re ready, you can look for some Xbox Series X/S stock.
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What Do Smart Delivery Upgrades Bring To Xbox Series X And Xbox Series S
Ubisoft brings Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Watch Dogs: Legion to Xbox Series X and Series S during the console launch season with Smart Delivery integration.
Xbox One titles that support Smart Delivery will also be “Optimized” for Xbox Series X or Series S, flaunting Microsoft’s tagline denoting games designed to leverage the console’s hardware. These titles will pack bespoke upgrades when running on the next-generation console, with potential gains in visual fidelity and gameplay performance.
Xbox Series X upgrades can include 4K resolution, 120 FPS, and ray tracing.
While the possible changes for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are endless, the current lineup appears to focus on several fields on interest. Native 4K resolution will become increasingly common, following several titles on Xbox One X that fell below, or utilized visual trickery to achieve, the baseline. Some Xbox Series X and Series S releases have also committed to embracing 120Hz support, with improved framerates boosting fluidity.
The Xbox library also features other possible enhancements, including improved textures, high dynamic range support, and ray tracing for more accurate lighting and shadows. The onboard solid-state drive is also a secret weapon, slicing load times and improving asset streaming for more complex worlds.
Will All Games Support Xbox Smart Delivery
Heres where it gets a bit tricky. In theory any game can support it. Whether they will in practice is up to the publishers, and whether they think it makes economic sense to do so. This technology is available for all developers, and all Xbox Game Studios titles that are Optimised for Xbox Series X, including Halo Infinite, will support Smart Delivery, Microsoft explains.
The current list is relatively healthy, though, and you can go ahead and buy Xbox One versions of the following games without having to worry about forwards compatibility:
- Halo Infinite
- Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon
- Metal: Hellslinger
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Xbox Series X Smart Delivery Explained
Microsoft explained Smart Delivery on the official Xbox Wire website like so:
This technology empowers you to buy a game once and know that whether you are playing it on Xbox One or Xbox Series X you are getting the right version of that game on whatever Xbox youre playing on.
Were 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.
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.
Basically, Smart Delivery will allow you to buy a game once and play it on both Xbox One and Xbox Series X, and youll get the right graphical performance for the hardware of your choice.
Youll also be able to jump back and forth between Xbox One and Xbox Series X, playing the same game across generations handy if your living room TV is hotly contested!
Is There Any Additional Cost Involved For Me At All
No! There are zero extra fees involved with Xbox Smart Delivery.
Is there anything else you want to know about Smart Delivery? Ask us in the comments.
Please note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.
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Ps5’s Monetized Upgrades From Ps4 Show Value Of Smart Delivery
Smart Delivery was a feature that seemed so intuitive many wondered why it needed to be noted at all, but the PS5s arbitrary distinction between PS4 and PS5 versions of games has justified the Xbox feature as extremely relevant to gamers. The PS4 and PS5 share essentially the same architecture, as the Xbox One does with the Xbox Series X/S. Consoles have transitioned from the days of highly unique, bespoke hardware, like the PS3s Cell Processor, to a more uniform architecture. This has allowed for simple backward compatibility between the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S and the PS4 and PS5 generations, as the new consoles are closer to upgrading a computer than ever before.
With first party Microsoft titles on Xbox, players purchase games as a generation-neutral item, and the best version for their hardware is automatically downloaded. With the PS5, Sony has elected to treat games as if they were separate purchases for PS4 and PS5 versions. The initial anti-consumer approach to the Horizon Forbidden West release reflected this mentality, as PS4 and PS5 versions were to be sold separately, and only a very expensive special edition would provide access to both – though thankfully this has been walked back.
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Xbox Smart Delivery Titles In Detail From Dates To Trailers
Here is more detailed view of every confirmed Xbox Smart Delivery game so far:
Borderlands 3 – The Xbox Series X and PS5 versions will support saves from the previous generation – as well as offering 60fps and 4K performance in single player and the addition of four-player local split-screen co-op.
– Following the release of the Square Enix adventure on PS4 and Xbox One on September 4th, there will be a free next-gen upgrade, which includes the transfer of game progress and same-generation crossplay. There will also be a number of performance improvements, including “extremely fast load times, boosted resolution and fidelity, improved texturing and armour destruction, ray tracing, and more”, according to Square Enix.
Halo Infinite was announced alongside Project Scarlett during E3 2019, offering up a cutscene-heavy trailer. There a few other details aside from it being a “spiritual reboot” – but it will be a cross-generation title, launching also on PC and Xbox One, and will be available in 2020.
Cyberpunk 2077 – Due out in November, there will be a patch at launch with light next gen improvements, followed by a more substantial one later to make better use of the enhanced hardware. For Xbox One owners, an Xbox Series X version for free “when available” as part of the same purchase.
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Xbox Smart Delivery: When To Buy Xbox Games
Smart delivery does throw up some interesting questions about when to buy the biggest Xbox games coming out this year.
There’s no real reason to wait to buy Xbox One games in their current-gen iterations, given you’ll be able to play the Xbox Series X version whenever you end up upgrading to the new console.
However, there may be an element of fatigue in replaying massive games like Cyberpunk 2077 on next-gen consoles. If the idea of retreading your steps on a second Xbox generation excites you, go ahead! But if you think you’ll only get around to playing a game once anyway or you want to see it looking its very best from the start, it might be a better idea to wait around for the beefed-up, graphically superior version on the Xbox Series X.
List Of Games With Xbox Smart Delivery Support
With a growing crowd of upcoming Xbox Series X games promising Smart Delivery, this list wraps up those confirmed via Microsoft and third-party developers. While not all Xbox Series X games opt into Smart Delivery, Microsoft has committed to supporting all cross-generation titles under Xbox Game Studios, accompanied by various third-party partners. Once next-generation upgrades are made available, existing owners will receive the best available version at no extra cost.
Purchasing these games on Xbox One today will translate forward to your Xbox Series X when you decide to buy. Existing titles will see Smart Delivery benefits applied to all current and future users, while upcoming games will have similar perks from launch.
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Does Xbox Smart Delivery Support Physical Disc
Xbox Smart Delivery supports discs on Xbox Series X, but the all-digital Series S is a different story.
Xbox Smart Delivery works with physical disc-based games on Xbox Series X. While previous cross-platform initiatives like Xbox Play Anywhere restricted access to virtual licenses, the benefits of Smart Delivery translate to traditional media, too.
The Xbox Series X ships with a 4K Blu-ray optical drive, enabling existing Xbox One discs to automatically upgrade via Smart Delivery when inserted. While Microsoft continue to push toward the convenience of online distribution, the Xbox Series X hasn’t embraced an exclusively all-digital future.
However, the Xbox Series S provides a disc-free experience, cutting the physical drive as an exclusively digital console. That means any existing disc-based Xbox One titles won’t work with Xbox Series S and won’t be upgraded. And because Microsoft doesn’t currently provide an upgrade path from discs to digital licenses, those with physical copies must re-purchase the game digitally to play the next-generation version.
I Thought Games Were Backwards Compatible On Xbox Series X
They are! You’ll be able to play thousands of backwards compatible games from across Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One on your next-gen Xbox Series X|S console.
The Xbox Smart Delivery service is completely separate, and only applies to games that are being released specifically for Xbox Series X|S as well.
Some recent Xbox One games are also planning to release next-gen versions for Xbox Series X|S, hence why they’re being included in the Smart Delivery program.
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Xbox Series X Smart Delivery And Optimized Games
The Xbox Series X includes a feature called Smart Delivery, in which users who purchase a copy of the game for the Xbox One will be allowed to obtain a free version for the Xbox Series X at no additional cost. Then there are Xbox Optimized games, not all of which use Smart Delivery, but have enhancements to take advantage of the new system’s technology.
This page includes all known games that have been confirmed Optimized games as well as games available through Smart Delivery – either by the developer or by Microsoft themselves.
Note that not every cross-generational game will be applicable for Smart Delivery, and it likely will not retroactively apply to many games that have already been released on the Xbox One at this time, though there are some exceptions – especially for first party titles and multiplayer games that are continuing to be updated.
Microsoft describes games Optimized for Xbox Series X and Series S as games that “take advantage of the true power of Xbox Series X|S.”
“Games featuring the Optimized for Xbox Series X|S icon will showcase unparalleled load-times, heightened visuals, and steadier framerates at up to 120FPS. These include new titles built natively using the Xbox Series X|S development environment as well as previously released titles that have been rebuilt specifically for Xbox Series X|S.”
How Does Xbox Smart Delivery Work
Microsoft hasn’t provided firm details on how Smart Delivery will exactly function, with Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S yet to hit the market. However, the promise of convenience suggests a smooth implementation, with a single disc or digital license automatically unlocking the correct version of the game, based on your console.
After purchasing an Xbox One title with Smart Delivery like Halo Infinite, players will presumably be able to download the game on Xbox Series consoles for free, or insert their disc, accessing the next-gen version. The system also works in reverse, if you use an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, and head back to Xbox One.
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Is Xbox Smart Delivery Coming To Pc
While the Xbox ecosystem now extends far beyond Xbox consoles, Microsoft has not indicated Xbox Smart Delivery features will head to PC. Games on PC are often scalable by nature, allowing users to change resolution, framerate, and other graphical settings based on your hardware. It makes the concept of “Smart Delivery for PC” essentially irrelevant, highlighting the existing flexibility granted by PC titles.
Xbox Smart Delivery Explained
Basically, Xboxs Smart Delivery system ensures that if you buy a game for the Xbox One, lets say Gears 5 , and you decide to buy an Xbox Series X in the near future, you will not need to buy the game a second time to play it on the Xbox Series X. Microsoft will provide the Xbox Series X version to you, free of cost. You can download the game for the Xbox Series X if youve already purchased it for the Xbox One X with no additional charges. For example, if youre planning on buying Halo Infinite for the Xbox One X, when you do finally upgrade to an Xbox Series X, you can just download the game to your new console. It really is that easy. Even better, youll have the optimised version of the game on the Xbox Series X as well. You just have to buy the game once to play it on both consoles. Now, if you own both consoles and have them placed in different rooms in your house, Smart Delivery will recognize that and deliver the optimised version for each console. Also, when you purchase a game on Xbox One today, your game library, progression and entire gaming legacy will move forward with you if you jump into the next generation with the Xbox Series X.
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