The next generation of consoles is inching ever closer, with Microsoft recently confirming that, despite the current global circumstances, it plans to move forward with the release of the Xbox Series X this holiday. This can leave some gamers in an awkward position, unsure of whether to buy games for current-generation platforms due to the possibility of them not being playable on next-generation hardware, or that a better version of the game will be released when the new consoles come out.
If you"re an Electronic Arts fan, though, you may not have as much to worry about. As reported by GamesRadar, Blake Jorgensen, COO at Electronic Arts, recently said during an earnings call that it will be possible to "upgrade" current-generation titles to the next generation for free. Jorgensen doesn"t go into detail about which games will be included, or even if this applies to games that are already on the market or only upcoming ones.
The wording makes it seem as though we"re talking about actual upgrades, with improvements to the graphics and overall presentation, but it"s possible that it"s referring to simple backwards compatibility. Both Sony and Microsoft have previously mentioned that their next-generation consoles will be able to run games from the current generation, and Microsoft has already experimented with enhanced versions of games for the Xbox One X. In that case, too, the upgrade didn"t entail a re-release of the game, but rather a a free upgrade for those that own said game and the Xbox One X.
It"s unclear if EA"s statement refers to one of these features provided by Microsoft and Sony, or if EA will actually be offering this by its own initiative. The company will hold a digital event next month, so it"s possible we"ll hear more about this by then.