Following a flurry of new news on the Xbox Series X, we've now got a new game to add to the list of titles heading to Microsoft's next-gen console – Cyberpunk 2077.
The announcement came via a tweet from the official account of Cyberpunk 2077, with it's team stating that "Owners of #Cyberpunk2077 for Xbox One will receive the Xbox Series X upgrade for free when available."
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. https://t.co/nfkfFLj85wFebruary 24, 2020
Smart Delivery already bears fruit
Though we've long suspected that Cyberpunk 2077 would be a cross-generation game – it seems simply too ambitious to be confined to current-gen hardware – this is the first time we've had official confirmation that the game will be available beyond the initially-slated Xbox One, PC and PS4 release. A similar PS5 announcement now seems almost inevitable.
Cyberpunk 2077 will be delivered to Xbox Series X through the next-gen console's newly-announced Smart Delivery system. It's essentially 'forwards compatibility' – you buy a game on one generation of Xbox hardware, and get to play it at no added cost on another generation. So, in this instance, a player buying a copy of Cyberpunk 2077 on Xbox One will automatically get access to an upgraded version for the Xbox Series X.
While Microsoft's first-party titles will offer Smart Delivery by default, it'll be up to third-party publishers to opt-in with the feature for their games. While you may be skeptical that tight-fisted publishers would want to miss out on the opportunity for a second sale, it's reassuring to see the historically-generous developers over at CD Projekt Red already taking up the offer for Cyberpunk 2077. Anyone holding out on buying a current-gen version of the game in the hope of seeing a next-gen version can happily pre-order away now – at least if they're expecting to remain in the Xbox console family, that is.
