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Grand Theft Auto V has remained one of the most popular games in the world for years, and Rockstar regularly supports the game on successive platforms. The company has just released official information about a free upgrade for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S users. Although most players can expect free access to the enhanced version, there is one significant exception. It concerns owners of physical copies of the game on Microsoft's older consoles. The decision has caused quite a stir within the community and may disappoint some fans of the series.
Xbox One disc owners will not receive a free upgrade
Rockstar has confirmed that users who own the digital copy of GTA 5 on Xbox One will be able to upgrade to the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S edition at no extra cost. The situation is different, however, for those who bought the game on physical media. According to information provided by the developer, disc owners will not be able to use a free upgrade path. The company attributes this to limitations of the Microsoft platform. In practice, this means players who own the boxed version of the game on Xbox One will not have access to the new version without repurchasing the title. For many users this may come as a considerable surprise, especially since similar arrangements have been used for other games on the market. The decision applies only to physical releases and does not cover digital copies purchased through the Xbox Store. Rockstar has not disclosed detailed technical reasons behind this solution. The developer limited itself to a brief statement pointing to limitations related to the platform’s operation. The gaming community quickly began discussing the matter, drawing attention to the differences between Sony and Microsoft’s ecosystems. For many people this may be one of the rare cases where owning a physical copy turns out to be less advantageous than the digital version.
On PlayStation the situation looks much more favourable
Players on Sony consoles received much better news. Rockstar has confirmed that both owners of digital and physical versions of GTA 5 on PlayStation 4 will be able to upgrade for free to the PlayStation 5 edition. For physical copies, players will only need to insert the original disc into the console's disc drive when launching the game. This mechanism serves to verify ownership of the correct product version. That way users do not lose access to the upgraded edition regardless of how they bought the game. The difference between platforms is therefore very clear and may raise questions about why this is the case. Rockstar emphasises, however, that the procedures were prepared in line with the capabilities offered by each system. The company's latest FAQ update details the entire migration process for players. Those eligible for the free upgrade can download the new version directly from the appropriate platform's digital store. On PlayStation the process remains simple whether the user owns a digital or physical version. For the Xbox community, however, the situation is much more complicated. All indications are that some players will have to accept repurchasing the game if they want to take advantage of the enhancements available on current-generation consoles.
Rockstar Games has officially confirmed that the free GTA 5 update will not be available to owners of physical copies of the game on Xbox One. Only users who own the digital version will benefit. On PlayStation 5 the situation is more favourable, as both disc owners and digital purchasers will receive access to the enhanced edition at no extra cost.
source: twistedvoxel
