KEY POINTS

  • Microsoft unveiled on Thursday the Xbox Series X feature called Smart Delivery system
  • The said feature will allow players to buy a game on Xbox One and then upgrade it to its Xbox Series X version for free
  • However, it seems Electronic Arts is not fully supporting the latest consumer-friendly feature

Perhaps the biggest revelation on Thursday’s Inside Xbox livestream was the announcement of the new Xbox Series X feature called Smart Delivery.

The Smart Delivery system, in simple terms, will allow players to buy a game on Xbox One and then upgrade it to its Xbox Series X version without additional cost – as in free. It was a creative move for Microsoft, as the tech giant is not abandoning their older console and its players and instead incentivizes them for upgrading to the latest console.

Moreover, the new feature is expected to give Xbox Series X a huge advantage over PlayStation 5, especially with next-gen games expected to be limited this 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Although Sony is yet to confirm if it will have a feature similar to Smart Deliver, Microsoft already has the first-mover advantage.

However, while the feature has good intentions, it is not perfect. After all, it is largely dependent on third-party developers allowing such setup. And apparently, there is already an issue with one of Microsoft’s biggest partners.

Electronic Arts, which showcased “Madden NFL 21” on the Inside Xbox stream, is not fully supporting Smart Delivery for its upcoming sports video game. As noted in their website, customers who wish to get a free Xbox Series X version of the popular title must buy it before Dec. 31, 2020.

“To get an upgraded Madden NFL 21 on Series X for no additional cost, you must purchase the game before Dec. 31 and redeem your upgrade on Xbox Series X by March 31, 2021,” EA wrote on its website.

The said development, obviously, did not sit well with fans. It also created confusion, especially after the message that Microsoft sent portraying Smart Delivery as a consumer-friendly feature.

Sure enough, Microsoft can’t force third-party developers like EA to join in its Smart Delivery system, but it creates bad precedence for the company which could ruin the feature. Moreover, if other developers follow EA’s lead and decide to offer their games for a limited time, the feature could not work the way it is intended to.

It remains to be seen what Microsoft will do, but it certainly puts the tech company in a rather tricky situation.

Xbox Series X
The Xbox Series X. Microsoft/Official
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