Horizon Forbidden West lack of free PS5 upgrade isn't a surprise but it's still sad to see

Date:
Sat, 04 Sep 2021 15:00:00 +0000

Description:
Sony has revealed that those who buy Horizon Forbidden West on PS4 wont be able to upgrade to PS5. And that's a shame for a number of reasons.

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Horizon Forbidden West wont include a free PS5 upgrade if you buy the game
on PS4, a move that shouldnt come as a shock to anyone at this point. And
yet, thats exactly the type of reaction Ive seen taking the internet by storm since Sony made the announcement: a mix of frustration, surprise, and even disbelief.

But why?

Ive been banging this drum for a while now, but the PS5 isnt good value compared to Xbox Series X . Thats not to say it isnt a fantastic console,
with a revolutionary controller and some truly fantastic games. But it seems like Sony cant help itself when it has an opportunity to wring the coffers of PlayStation consumers. PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition : what's the difference? Best PS5 headsets : treat your ears Best Xbox Series X games : don't miss these

Weve seen from the outset that Sonys generosity doesnt span very far when it comes to PS5. Whether its the $70 / 70 price tag for first-party exclusives, PS Now not including any PS5 games , not being able to use your existing DualShock 4 controllers (unless its to play PS4 games ), or locking PS5 features behind Directors Cut re-releases , Sonys strategy of capitalizing on the allure of PS5 titles has been clear for quite some time.

Thats not to say Sony has been all bad, though. The PS Plus Collection lets subscribers download 20 games, and weve seen some pleasing free 60fps updates to titles like Days Gone, God of War , The Last of Us 2 , and most recently, Horizon: Zero Dawn . Sonys Play at Home initiative was also a nice touch.

But now, whether Sony realizes it or not, its actively punishing those who
are unable to buy a PS5 by how its handling Horizon Forbidden Wests restrictive upgrade path. (Image credit: Sony)

Picture this all too common scene: youre a PlayStation gamer, excited to jump into the next generation with PS5. Like thousands of others, though, you havent been able to buy the elusive new console yet. So what do you do when Horizon Forbidden West comes out?

If you buy the game on PS4 when it releases on February 22, 2022 for $60 /
60, youll get to enjoy Aloys next adventure right away. Pick up a PS5 down
the line, however, and youll be stuck with the last-gen version of the game. No upgrade will be provided, so if you want to play the PS5 version of the game... well, be prepared to part with $70 / 70 to do so. Ouch.

But wait, there is a solution! On PlayStations FAQ page for pre-ordering the game, Sony has provided a solution:

To access both the PS4 and PS5 versions of Horizon Forbidden West, you need
to purchase the Digital Deluxe, Collectors or Regalla Editions. Dual entitlement does not apply to the Standard and Special Editions.

The Horizon Forbidden West Digital Deluxe Edition costs $80 / 80 but does
come with a few extra bits and bobs in-game resources pack, digital comic book etc. which definitely isnt an attempt by Sonys to mask the fact its asking for more money for something that could have been free. Playing a different game (Image credit: Playground Games)

Horizon Forbidden Wests lack of free upgrade isnt a good look for Sony, then, but its even more ugly when you realize that Microsoft does the polar
opposite when it comes to next-gen upgrades.

Thanks to its Smart Delivery system, Microsoft grants players the Xbox Series X|S version of every title it releases for free. Xbox Smart Delivery detects if youre playing an Xbox One game on either Xbox Series X|S and automatically gives you the best version (for free ).

Already own Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One? Theres a free upgrade waiting for you if you ever buy an Xbox Series X|S. Gears 5 ? Enjoy a free upgrade. Sea of Thieves ? Arrgggh, ye guessed it, me hearties: a free upgrade. Retweeted without comment. https://t.co/jbE6s6pbOn September 2, 2021 See more

And what about games that havent been released yet, like Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 ? Well, if you were to purchase or play either of those
titles on Xbox One, youll be stunned to know that yes, those will be upgraded
for free should you ever pick up an Xbox Series X |S down the line. Theyre also both on Xbox Game Pass from day one, so you wont have to spend $140 just to experience them either.

Xbox Smart Delivery also grants you the last-gen versions of a game, too, so if you decide to hop on your aging Xbox One X and bought a game on Xbox
Series X|S, youll automatically be given the last-gen version too. Sounds completely fair and reasonable, right? Well, thats because it is. Forbidden access (Image credit: Sucker Punch)

So should Sony be dragged over hot coals for its latest decision to charge
for a PS5 upgrade? Well, not really, even if it is rather distasteful. Sony
is only capitalizing on the ravenous demand for PlayStation 5, and its strategy must be paying dividends if the company is continuing to make the same decisions. But I cant subscribe to the idea of double-dipping or paying upgrade fees for games I already own.

If theres one thing that has made this generation so enjoyable for me, at least its been how developers have rewarded gamers with new and updated versions of titles that they may have already purchased. Yes, its unprecedented compared to previous generations, but much like how PC gamers reap the rewards of upgrading their hardware with prettier games and better performance, its been a long time coming in the console space. Horizon Zero upgrade

You could argue that Sony is clinging on to a model that is outdated and almost elitist when compared to Microsofts Xbox Smart Delivery system. Is it fair that a fan of Horizon Zero Dawn be forced to pay $20 / 20 more just to ensure that they wont be hit with a $70 / 70 fee if they ever want to play
the game on PS5? Absolutely not. Can Sony get away with it? Probably, though that doesnt mean it should .

Unfortunately, its likely that Sony will stick with this approach if Gran Turismo 7 and God of War: Ragnarok do indeed come to PS4 as well as PS5. And as long as PlayStation 5 consoles continue to be as hard to find as a needle in a haystack, you can bet that more consumers will be coerced into having to spend more than they actually should. Whether Sony is successful with this strategy depends on one thing, of course: if consumers take a stand against it, or not. PS5 vs Xbox Series X : the two consoles compared



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/horizon-forbidden-west-lack-of-free-ps5-upgrade -isnt-a-surprise-but-its-still-sad-to-see/


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