Xbox Series X Gamers Will Get Optimized Games Automatically

Thanks to a feature called Smart Delivery, Xbox Series X gamers will automatically get the best version of each game delivered to their console.

“Smart Delivery is available for all developers, and all Xbox Game Studios titles that are Optimized for Xbox Series X, including Halo Infinite, will support Smart Delivery,” Microsoft’s Will Tuttle explains. “[This] means that 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. You won’t need to do anything in terms of choosing a version to download.”

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Interestingly, Smart Delivery isn’t just for digital purchases. If you buy an Xbox game on disc, you can also get the most optimized version of that game delivered to your Xbox Series X console if the developer or publisher decides to implement this functionality.

Furthermore, Smart Delivery will be enabled for Xbox Game Pass titles as well, though again it will be up to developers to determine whether they take advantage of this feature.

‘As was the case with our current backward compatible titles, you won’t have to worry about losing any progress either,” Tuttle continues. “Thanks to our commitment to compatibility across generations, you can be assured that when you purchase a game on Xbox One today, your game library, progression[,] and entire gaming legacy moves forward with you if you jump into the next generation with Xbox Series X.”

The following games will be Optimized for Xbox Series X, with many more to come:

  • 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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Conversation 2 comments

  • madthinus

    Premium Member
    15 June, 2020 - 2:59 pm

    <p>This feature makes sense for generational games, but I also think it is just one half of the story. Lockheart will be cheaper. There is only so many places you can cut cost in the end. The Chipset die size is one. We don't know how AMD is delivering Ray-tracing. Is it dedicated hardware like nVidia or are they using the general shaders to calculate it like the CryEngine is doing. We don't know that. If you cut down the compute and graphics clusters of the chipset to deliver a cheaper console, you probably loose Ray-tracing in the process. </p><p><br></p><p>Now, when you use Ray-tracing, the textures needs a material layer to house reflective properties. If you using traditional baked lighting methods, you need shadow maps and light maps baked into the textures. These are two different set of textures. Currently we have huge game sizes because both sets of textures are download. What if Smart delivery is the tech where you get the game assets you require. Whether lower resolution because it is Xbox One or Lightmap based because it is Lockheart or Material based because you have an Series X. That SSD is expensive, and you don't want it to waste space with unnecessary files your console does not need. </p>

  • IanYates82

    Premium Member
    15 June, 2020 - 4:48 pm

    <p>Everyone's making a huge deal of this, but it's kind of obvious I'd have thought. The console that can use 4k assets – textures, videos, etc – downloads them and ignores the 1080p versions. Vice versa applies </p><p><br></p><p>Doesn't iOS encourage this kind of thing already where the same bundled "app" is delivered in different ways to ipad vs iPhone? </p><p><br></p><p>It's a great idea, just surprised it is getting so much coverage and promotion </p>

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