Can You Play Xbox Series X Games On Xbox One?

Those curious about upcoming Xbox Series X titles may be wondering if they’ll work on the Xbox One, which was released back in 2013. The short answer is: yes; however, there’s a little more to it than that.

Lately, Microsoft has been decently generous when it comes to interchangeable Xbox compatibility. Consumers have been aware for a while now that the Xbox Series X and S will be able to run an extensive list of older titles – including ones from the original Xbox – on the newer systems, allowing for faster loading times, higher resolution, and more stable frame rates for classic games dating all the way back to 2001.

As far as playing new Xbox Series X titles on the Xbox One and Xbox One X, Microsoft will allow this too, as long as a game’s developer supports a recently introduced feature – Smart Delivery. Smart Delivery allows for up and down compatibility across these systems. It’s also how gamers will be able to play older titles like ones from the original Xbox on the Xbox Series X. Smart Delivery ensures that each game is being played at its best version possible for whatever console is being used. Only games that support Xbox Smart Delivery can do this, although all Xbox Game Studios titles optimized for Xbox Series X will support Smart Delivery. This is groundbreaking as far as consoles go, as these systems have never permitted this in the past.

Xbox Series X Games Can Be Played On Xbox One With Smart Delivery

Allowing a new generation console’s games to be played on an older one is a major change to how the video game industry has traditionally done things, as Microsoft is now putting the focus back on the games themselves. Essentially, it’s rewarding faithful fans who’ve previously invested in Xbox products to be able to enjoy new content without dropping hundreds of dollars on an Xbox Series X right away. It allows for fans to feel confident they’ve made a good investment in the Xbox brand, as they will not have to repurchase a game to experience it on a different Xbox console.

Naturally, Microsoft is still excited to flex its new Xbox Series X system, which will be one of the fastest and most powerful consoles to date. Yet there is no pressure for fans to buy it right away, as they don’t have to fear missing out on the latest and upcoming game titles simply because they do not have the most up-to-date version of the Xbox. The main benefit to having the latest console is that the games will run more smoothly and look a bit better. Some of the many games that will support Smart Delivery include Halo Infinite, Cyberpunk 2077, and Gears 5.

Additionally, Smart Delivery-supported games’ save data will also carry over across systems. This means if a user has been enjoying a game on Xbox One and they purchase an Xbox Series X, that data will be available for them on the new console. Similarly if a household has one version in the living room and another in a bedroom – they can hop on either and pick up where they left off. Smart Delivery will also support both digital and physical Xbox Series X and Xbox One games.

Xbox Series X/S releases November 10th, 2020

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