Madden 21 Will NOT Take Advantage Of Smart Delivery On The Series X

Madden NFL 21 is due out sometime this summer for the Xbox One, PS4 and PC. Yesterday, during Microsoft’s Inside Xbox show, we got our very first glimpse of what Madden NFL 21 will look like running on the Xbox Series X hardware. During the reveal we were also told that if you buy the game for the Xbox One, you’ll be able to upgrade to the Series X version for free. And while that maybe the case, it does come with some major caveats.

Smart Delivery

Smart Delivery is a pro-consumer initiative announced by Microsoft earlier this year. It is a very simple and fair system. If you buy a game for the Xbox One, and if said game is part of the Smart Delivery program. When you then upgrade to the Series X down the road. That same game will automatically update and download all the new bells and whistles that the next gen system will have to offer at no extra cost to you.

All Xbox Game Studio titles will take advantage of Smart Delivery. But so will some of the biggest games coming this year, such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Assassins Creed: Valhalla. In fact, out of the 13 games shown during the Inside Xbox show, nine of them will be part of the Smart Delivery program. But Madden NFL 21 and EA are doing things differently.

Caveat

During the reveal, Kansas City Chief’s Patrick Mahomes stated that if you buy Madden 21 on the Xbox One you would be able to upgrade to the Series X version for free. But here’s the catch, this is a time limited offer. First, you must buy Madden 21 before December 31 this year and then you have to upgrade to the Series X version before March 31 next year.

This news comes to us thanks to a Madden 21 FAQ post. One of the questions asked was. “What if I own Madden NFL 21 on Xbox One but don’t get a Series X until August 2021?” And this was EA’s answer. “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.”

Unnecessary

All third party developers can choose to be part of the Smart Delivery program if the wish. Microsoft are not forcing it on anyone. But the way the Madden 21 reveal was worded yesterday, during the Inside Xbox show, was very misleading from EA in my opinion.

Smart Delivery is a good thing, as I said earlier, it’s very pro-consumer. But I suppose EA care less about their fans than other major developers like CD Projekt Red and Ubisoft. And if EA are taking this approach with Madden 21. I absolutely guarantee you that their other franchises such as FIFA and their NHL games will follow the same pattern. It is utterly unnecessary but at the end of the day, very typical of EA.

But what do you think? Are you surprised by this news? Do you think EA should add their games to the Smart Delivery program? Please feel free to leave any thoughts you have in the comments below.

Image ea.com