What is Xbox Series X Smart Delivery and How does it work?

There are several reasons why players should be excited about Xbox Series X’s arrival this Holiday 2020. But arguably one of the biggest is the promise of what Microsoft has dubbed “Smart Delivery”. Now, we wouldn’t blame you if this turn of phrase meant absolutely nothing to you, but it’s perhaps best described as a method of forwards compatibility that appears to be extremely user-friendly.

Below we’ll break down everything you need to know about the mystical dark art of Xbox Series X Smart Delivery, making it so that you’re well prepared with how everything works by the time Microsoft’s new console rolls around.

What is Xbox Series X Smart Delivery?

It’s described over on the Xbox News Wire as a “technology

that

empowers you to buy a game once and know that – whether you are playing it on Xbox One or Xbox Series X – you are getting the right version of that game on whatever Xbox you’re playing on.” This means that Smart Delivery will enable anyone who purchases an Xbox One version of a game, to gain instant access to the Xbox Series X version.

What remains a mystery is exactly in what way this will work, and whether or not this is a function that’ll be exclusively made available with digital Xbox One purchases or if physical boxed games are included, too. Smart Delivery was one of the major buzz words thrown around in May’s recent Inside Xbox event, but it’s necessity to highlight third-party sneak peeks and gameplay meant that there wasn’t a lot of room for Smart Delivery to be explained in detail.

Saying that, despite explicit details relating to Smart Delivery not yet being known, it’s clear that Microsoft’s intentions with it are in the right place. Spoken simply the headline is: If you buy a game on Xbox One, you’ll also have access to an Xbox Series X version – providing the game in question is included in the offer. This would mean players no longer have to buy a game twice when making the jump to a new console generation.

We’ll continue to update this section when we know more about how Smart Delivery will function.

What Xbox One games are confirmed to support Smart Delivery?

Below is a full list of every game confirmed to support Smart Delivery so far. As you’d typically expect, almost every cross-platform first-party Xbox exclusive will be included, but there’s a good amount of third-party titles confirmed, too.

First-party

• Halo Infinite
• Gears 5

Third-party

• Cyberpunk 2077
• Madden 21
• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
• Rainbow Six Siege
• Call of the Sea
• Chorus
• Dirt 5
• Scarlet Nexus
• The Ascent
• The Second Extinction
• Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon

When will Smart Delivery be made available?

Smart Delivery will be rolling out very soon, as early as this summer if certain reports are to be believed. That’s because a lot of the 2021 sports games are set to release from June(ish) onwards, with EA confirming very recently that Madden 21 will support Xbox Series X Smart Delivery. Others, like Cyberpunk 2077 – which releases this September – will continue this trend.

How do you know if a game is Smart Delivery compatible?

We’ve outlined every Smart Delivery supported in the list above, sure, but what clear way is there for you to tell whether or not a game is supported? Simply look for this logo below. When you see this symbol, in any marketing or trailer, you can be assured that when you buy an Xbox One game, there’ll be an Xbox Series X version waiting for you when you pick one up.