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Microsoft explains in detail how Xbox Series X Smart Delivery will work

Microsoft has shared more details on its Smart Delivery service as it prepares to transition from the Xbox One console to the upcoming Xbox Series X.

Microsoft unveiled Smart Delivery in February, saying that players will automatically get Xbox Series X versions of games they previously purchased digitally on the Xbox One at no additional charge. In a blog post on Monday, Microsoft said Smart Delivery will be available to all third-party developers but cautioned it’ll be up to those developers to support the feature. If they don’t, the feature won’t be available on their games.

Smart Delivery should prove to be a hands-off process, Microsoft said. Once players buy an Xbox Series X, Microsoft will automatically add the Xbox Series X version of their Xbox One game to the console. Over time, as more games are optimized for Xbox Series X, Microsoft will continue to add them to the console.

“And it’s not just limited to games that you purchase digitally,” Microsoft said. “Physical discs of Xbox games can also support Smart Delivery if the developer or publisher decides to implement it.”

Microsoft also said that Smart Delivery will work with its Xbox Game Pass subscription service. So, as long as users continue to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass on the Xbox Series X, they’ll get optimized versions of those games delivered digitally to their new console.

Smart Delivery could prove valuable as players decide to upgrade to the Xbox Series X or buy games for the Xbox One. Players won’t need to buy two versions of a title and can finish a single playthrough across both consoles.

Microsoft said all progress in games will be saved, so players won’t need to start over on the Xbox Series X.

The service’s biggest problem, however, might be developer participation. Microsoft on Monday provided an updated list of games (listed below) that currently support Smart Delivery. While the company has promised more game compatibility in the future and said developers can easily turn Smart Delivery on for optimized titles, there’s no telling how many titles will take advantage of it when the console is launched in time for the 2020 holiday shopping season.

Here’s a full list of games that will work with Smart Delivery:

  • Halo Infinite
  • Cyberpunk 2077
  • Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
  • Destiny 2
  • DiRT 5
  • Scarlet Nexus
  • Chorus
  • Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
  • Yakuza: Like a Dragon
  • The Ascent
  • Call of the Sea
  • Gears 5
  • Second Extinction
  • Metal: Hellslinger

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Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger is a freelance technology, video game, and entertainment journalist. He has been writing about the world of…
Xbox’s Phil Spencer responds to blockbuster leak: ‘So much has changed’
Xbox Series X on a table.

Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has finally commented on the massive Xbox leak that happened earlier today. In his public statement, he explained that "so much has changed" since many of the documents were created and asked fans to be excited about Xbox's future.
On Tuesday morning, unredacted versions of a lot of documents pertaining to the Xbox vs. FTC trial appeared. These emails and documents, most of which were created or written sometime between 2020 and 2022, revealed a lot of unannounced information. That included things like a mid-gen refresh for the Xbox Series X and S, some unannounced Bethesda games, and even Microsoft's early goals for its next-generation console. Hours later, Spencer commented on the leak.
"We've seen the conversation around old emails and documents," Spencer explained on X (formerly known as Twitter). "It is hard to see our team's work shared in this way because so much has changed and there's so much to be excited about right now, and in the future. We will share the real plans when we are ready."
https://twitter.com/XboxP3/status/1704233222752571842
At first, people didn't know where the leak came from, with the FTC quickly denying that it leaked these things. Ultimately, United States District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley revealed that Microsoft had done it to itself while trying to provide the court with a secure cloud link to relevant exhibits for the trial. The Verge went on to report that Phil Spencer also sent out a memo internally about the leaks today, echoing the statements in his tweet.
"Today, several documents submitted in the court proceedings related to our proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard were unintentionally disclosed. I know this is disappointing, even if many of the documents are well over a year old and our plans have evolved," Spencer's memo reads. "I also know we all take the confidentiality of our plans and our partners’ information very seriously. This leak obviously is not us living up to that expectation. We will learn from what happened and be better going forward. We all put incredible amounts of passion and energy into our work, and this is never how we want that hard work to be shared with the community. That said, there’s so much more to be excited about, and when we’re ready, we’ll share the real plans with our players. In closing, I appreciate all of the work that you pour into Team Xbox to surprise and delight our players."
The fact that Microsoft did this to itself is an embarrassing accident, especially when some of the information contained within the documents and emails is no longer accurate. For now, all we can do is wait and see if Microsoft will actually release new versions of its Xbox Series X and S consoles next year and if games like Doom Year Zero, a sequel to Ghostwire: Tokyo, and Dishonored 3 get announced.

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Xbox's logo used during the Extended Games Showcase

Unredacted documents submitted and made publicly available to view as part of the ongoing Microsoft vs. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) trial just led to what may be the biggest leak in video game history.
A flood of files have revealed deep secrets about Xbox's upcoming plans for the bulk of the decade, giving us unprecedented insight into what's on the horizon for the gaming giant. That includes information on upcoming hardware refreshes, next-gen consoles, and unannounced Bethesda titles, as well as a further peek into Microsoft's acquisition ambitions. It's a lot to trudge through, so we've rounded up five key revelations that you'll want to know.
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https://twitter.com/stephentotilo/status/1704121068519133313
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https://twitter.com/charlieINTEL/status/1704088621475598345
Throughout that Brooklin leak, a new version of the Xbox Series X controller is also teased. The Xbox Series X controller is great, but lacks the unique features of controllers like the DualSense or Joy-Cons, so it makes sense Microsoft would want to change that. Referred to as "Sebile -- The New Xbox Controller," this controller can seamlessly pair and connect to the cloud.
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First details on Microsoft's next-gen console leak
https://twitter.com/AR12Gaming/status/1704102055206322389
It's hard to believe we're almost already three years into this console generation and that Microsoft is planning for its next major console release, but that is the case. Unfortunately for Microsoft, its current technical ambitions for the platform were included in this leak. A leaked document states that Microsoft's ultimate goal is to "develop a next-generation hybrid game platform capable of leveraging the combined power of the client and cloud to deliver deeper immersion and entirely new classes of game experiences." 
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This next-gen console is currently slated for a 2028 launch.
Several upcoming Bethesda games leak

Enough about hardware -- several upcoming Bethesda games also leaked. A document from 2020 outlining Bethesda's game road map through fiscal year 2024 includes some games we don't know about. Alongside games we know of like MachineGames' Indiana Jones project, the list also includes several code-named projects, remasters of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Fallout 3, a GhostWire: Tokyo sequel, Doom Year Zero, and Dishonored 3.
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Microsoft considered acquiring Nintendo and Warner Bros. Interactive
https://twitter.com/tomwarren/status/1704021807341203802
A leaked email from 2020 gives some insight into Spencer's acquisition ambitions at that point. Namely, it sounds like he'd love to acquire Nintendo as it would be a "career moment" for him.
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It's worth noting that this email is from over three years ago, and these acquisition ambitions might have been quelled following changing economic conditions and the rocky and expensive process of acquiring Activision Blizzard. 

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best-single-player-nintendo-switch-games

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