Free PS5 Game Upgrades Prove Xbox Smart Delivery is Nothing Special

• New Watch Dogs news puts PlayStation 5 on even ground with Xbox Series X.
• A free next-gen upgrade for early adopters means Xbox Smart Delivery is a load of PR nonsense.
• Why doesn’t Microsoft focus on more unique features?

While PlayStation 5 stands out thanks to its games, Microsoft loves to show off the Xbox Series X feature-set. With Game Pass, xCloud, and Halo Infinite, they certainly have an offering to be proud of.

But marketing can deceive. Sharp-eyed gamers will notice that Sony can match just about every feature Microsoft throws out. Ubisoft’s press conference on Sunday proved this with the reveal of Watch Dogs: Legion . Far Cry 6 will prove no different.

How ‘Smart’ is Smart Delivery?

The conference revealed a live action-trailer, more gameplay insights, and a release date of October 29, 2020, for current-gen systems. Most notably, however, it disclosed that PlayStation 4 players would receive a free upgrade  to the PlayStation 5 edition of the game upon release.

Sounds oddly familiar, no?

Xbox Smart Delivery is defined  as:

If you purchase the Xbox One version of a supported title, we will deliver the best version of it to your Xbox One, as usual. If you decide to jump into the next generation with Xbox Series X, we will automatically provide the Xbox Series X version of the game at no additional cost when it becomes available.

If Watch Dogs: Legion does this on PlayStation, then can Xbox really use this as a feature? The company is merely marketing cross-gen play as a unique offering.

This reminds me of their Xbox One X marketing , stating that it was the “most powerful console ever.” Considering it was a mid-generation upgrade from the current status quo, one would hope it’s more powerful.

PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X on Even Ground

The Xbox Series X has some excellent features, no doubt. Game Pass is arguably gaming’s best subscription service, particularly amid rumors of an impending rise in game prices. xCloud is a true next-gen technology, and the platform’s focus on crossplay is accessible for all. Smart Delivery does not match these in terms of scope.

Xbox would surely do better to focus on its upcoming games like Halo: Infinite and it’s genuinely unique advantages. Sony does this, and it’s in gamer’s good graces for that reason.