The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S all launch in less than a month and a half. The lead-up to the launch of next-gen consoles has been surprisingly friendly so far. Both Microsoft and Sony have been encouraging to their competitor, doing their parts to keep the so-called "console war" cooler than previous generations. However, even Xbox couldn't resist the recent opportunity that Sony's Spider-Man PS4 to PS5 upgrade path offered. They took to Twitter to troll Sony over its recent decision-making.
In a post from the official Xbox UK Twitter account, Microsoft sets up its joke smoothly. "Here's a thread on how you can upgrade games to Xbox Series X | S with Smart Delivery in a few easy steps," is the message the first tweet shares. The second tweet is even more straightforward. "Just buy the game," is the message, followed by Leonardo DiCaprio Laughing meme that's quite popular at the moment.
Smart Delivery, for those unfamiliar, is Microsoft's branding for Xbox One games that will upgrade automatically for next-generation consoles. The official pitch is "Buy a Game Once and Play the Best Version Across Generations." Microsoft is making the Smart Delivery technology available to all developers and is encouraging them to support it. It's following its own guidance, as well. All Xbox Game Studios games optimized for Xbox Series X will support Smart Delivery.
The jab, as mentioned prior, is a direct response to the ongoing controversy regarding Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The basic idea is that Sony is offering an Ultimate Edition of Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales that includes a remastered version of the original game. PS4 Spider-Man players hoped that this meant they'd receive a free upgrade for the PS5, but Sony is not offering that. PS4 players will have to buy the Ultimate Edition to get the game on PS5. They also won't be able to carry over their saves.
The ability to have one's games upgraded for the next generation of consoles free of charge has become a surprising focal point. Backward compatibility has always been a major issue with each new console generation. But the modern prevalence of cross-gen game releases has changed the dialogue. Console gamers don't want to pay extra for games they've already purchased. Sony, as well as other publishers, don't appear to entirely agree.
Microsoft's jab at Sony is also a direct reference to a previous jab from Sony toward Microsoft. When the Xbox One was first announced, the console planned to feature DRM that wouldn't allow players to trade games. Sony posted a video showing how to share PS4 games with friends, showing one person simply handing their game to another person. How the tables have turned.
The PlayStation 5 releases November 12 and the Xbox Series X and S release November 10.