FIFA 21 comes with a year-long free PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X upgrade

It is looking like next gen is going to have a slow start, Sony only have one confirmed first party PlayStation 5 launch title and many other publishers are creating cross generation titles, for example Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will be on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

Some publishers are offering free upgrades to next gen if you purchase the game on a current system and EA have joined their ranks by announcing a free upgrade path if you purchase FIFA 21 on current systems, though not using Microsoft’s Smart Delivery on Xbox. The offer will last a whole year until the launch of FIFA 22.

Get #FIFA21 on either PlayStation 4 or Xbox One before FIFA 22 and upgrade your game for the equivalent next generation console (PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X) for free.
Full details ➡️ https://t.co/No5zFAH7x6 pic.twitter.com/QFCQ3hsAo3

— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) June 18, 2020

After announcing a similar scheme for Madden NFL 21, EA quietly updated their next-gen upgrade offer earlier this month, extending it from a mere three-four month period to continue all the way through until the release of Madden NFL 22.

They updated the EA Next Level website to say, “Having listened to our players response we’re extending the offer all the way through our Madden 21 season up to the release of Madden NFL 22, so players can upgrade to Madden NFL 21 on Xbox Series X whenever they first purchase their new console within that period.”

However, there is small detail to the upgrade offers EA are making: you will not be able to upgrade a PS4 physical copy of the game if you buy the digital, disc-free version of the PlayStation 5.

The physical copy of FIFA 21 on PlayStation 4 also includes your entitlement to download and play the PlayStation 5 version of the game (and Xbox One with Xbox Series X), so you’ll still be able to upgrade via Dual Entitlement if you purchase a next generation console with a disc drive.

If you intend to buy a discless next generation console, you will need to purchase FIFA 21 digitally to take advantage of the Dual Entitlement offer as physical discs cannot currently be used to upgrade to discless consoles.

This is practically identical to the upgrade schemes that were rolled of for the PS3 and Xbox 360 to PS4 and Xbox One transition, just without a fee to pay. If you buy a disc version of the game, you will still need the disc to be in the console to verify your ownership of the game. If you buy a console without a disc drive? Well then it can’t be verified.

You will also not be able to upgrade from Xbox One to PlayStation 5, or PlayStation 4 to Xbox Series X. Obviously.

Source: Twitter