You've probably already heard about the Xbox Series X smart delivery system. While Microsoft does not require developers to use this system, it appears that Xbox manufacturers may place restrictions on how developers can and cannot charge for next-generation console upgrades. If developers do not opt for smart delivery, full-priced games and discounted bundles will be allowed, but offering upgrade DLC will not.

This information comes from the Video Games Chronicle, which claims to have spoken to sources in the publishing industry. Microsoft is "encouraging [developers] to offer both current and next-generation versions at no additional charge through its own schemes, such as Smart Delivery and EA's dual entitlement. However, publishers who do not offer upgrades for free may still sell disparate games; offering DLC upgrades at any price seems to be strictly forbidden.

So far, most developers seem to have heeded Microsoft's "free upgrade" advice, with first-party games such as "Halo Infinite" and "Senua's Saga: Hellblade II" offering Smart Delivery Publishers that have not opted for Smart Delivery, such as EA, are also taking advantage of the new features in "Madden 21" and "FIFA: FIFA: FIFA World Series" and "FIFA World Series. Madden 21" and "FIFA 21" offer similar "dual entitlement" programs.

Some publishers that do not want to offer next-generation console upgrades are instead bundling current and next-generation versions at a discounted price; 2K offered players a $100 package that included both versions of NBA 2K21. Thanks to the rising price of next-generation consoles, purchasing both games separately would normally cost $130.

In fact, it remains to be seen if any developer will buck the trend and offer completely separate game purchases. Not all Xbox Series X games will support Smart Delivery, but as we have seen, publishers have a number of other options to offer free or discounted upgrades; EA, 2K, and Activision, for example, are trying to generate additional revenue If companies like EA, 2K, and Activision, who are well-known for trying to generate additional revenue, are offering some sort of price discount, it is hard to imagine that other major publishers will not follow suit.

If publishers cannot charge for upgrade DLC, then they have an incentive to offer next-generation game versions. However, it could also encourage them to sell the next-generation version of the game at full price. If a publisher must either give away or sell a full version of a game, selling is the more profitable option, and selling at full price is still more profitable than selling at a discount.

However, no publisher has yet chosen this path, so we will have to wait and see how widespread free or discounted upgrades for the next generation consoles will be. At the moment, if you buy an Xbox One game, you have a better than average chance of getting the Xbox Series X version for free.