PlayStation 4 version of Horizon Forbidden West will get a free PlayStation 5 upgrade after all
Players who purchased the PlayStation 4 version of Horizon Forbidden West will get a free PlayStation 5 upgrade after all. This is according to a new update from Sony Interactive Entertainment President and CEO Jim Ryan.
When Sony Interactive Entertainment revealed Horizon Forbidden West‘s standard and editions last week, it initially said that those who purchased the PlayStation 4 version would not get a free PlayStation 5 upgrade. Now, the company seems to have rethought that decision following some negative backlash.
“It’s abundantly clear that the offerings we confirmed in our pre-order kickoff missed the mark,” Ryan said in a PlayStation Blog post.
In September of last year, Sony Interactive Entertainment confirmed that Horizon Forbidden West would be a cross-generation title, coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. When it made the announcement, it implied that it would be a launch window title with a free upgrade from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5.
“Last year we made a commitment to deliver free upgrades for our cross-gen launch titles, which included Horizon Forbidden West,” he continued.
“While the pandemic’s profound impact pushed Forbidden West out of the launch window we initially envisioned, we will stand by our offer: Players who purchase Horizon Forbidden West on PlayStation 4 will be able to upgrade to the PlayStation 5 version for free.”
Future cross-gen titles to get a $10 upgrade option
In his PlayStation Blog post, Ryan also confirmed that future first-party exclusive cross-generation titles would now offer a $10 (Php 500) digital upgrade option from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5. This applies to both digital and physical disc versions of the game, though the latter will require a PlayStation 5 with a disc drive.
The ease of transitioning from the previous generation of consoles to the new one has been a point of contention on PlayStation 5. Sony’s rival Microsoft, on the other hand, offers its Smart Delivery service for its Xbox Series S and X consoles.
The latter technology means that Xbox players are able to get the appropriate version of a game depending on their platform. This includes getting the Xbox Series version of a game if they’ve already purchased on Xbox One, provided the game already supports it. (Read: This is how Xbox Series S backwards compatibility really works)
Of course, not every game on Xbox supports smart delivery, but it still provides an easier, more unified experience for players on the platform.
That said, its more disjointed upgrade strategy hasn’t stopped the PlayStation 5 from being a sales juggernaut. Sony’s ninth-generation console has sold more than 10 million units since it hit store shelves last November.
Perhaps this sales success has led Sony to believe that not having an easier upgrade path from PlayStation 4 isn’t an issue. That said, their recent actions with Horizon Forbidden West do indicate that they know that this is a sore point among its fans.
If you like reading our content, why not show your appreciation by treating us to a cup of coffee? (or two, if you’re feeling generous)
