State Of Live Games: How Every Game-As-A-Service Is Going Into Next Gen

As the release of the Xbox Series X/Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5 comes closer, one question in particular becomes ever more relevant: How many game-as-a-service titles are getting next-gen ports? And, of course, there is the follow-up: How many of them will keep the hundreds of hours of save data that I’ve invested into the game already?

Below, we take a look at all the major game-as-a-service titles that are still receiving new content drops, updates, and hotfix patches and listing whether they are getting next-gen ports. If they are (or if there’s a possibility that they could), we also list whether they support cross-play and cross-progression. We also let you know whether you’ll need to buy the game again. To help you find what you’re looking for, the games are listed in alphabetical order.

Anthem

BioWare has announced that it plans on giving the loot-shooter a complete overhaul following Anthem’s rocky launch, but next-gen console ports haven’t been announced as part of those plans. We assume that Anthem 2.0 will get Xbox Series X/S and PS5 ports, but we can’t know that for sure–it could remain on current-gen hardware, only playable on next gen via backwards compatibility. On current-gen platforms, Anthem does not support cross-play or cross-progression.

Apex Legends

Respawn has already confirmed that Apex Legends will be getting cross-play support and both Switch and mobile ports. However, the developer hasn’t announced anything with regard to next gen.

As Apex Legends is free-to-play, Xbox Series X/S and PS5 ports (if they exist) won’t cost you anything to download. However, it’s worth pointing out that Apex Legends does not support cross-progression, and Respawn hasn’t announced any plans to change that.

Bleeding Edge

Ninja Theory hasn’t announced how it plans on supporting Bleeding Edge going into the next console generation. However, as an Xbox first-party console exclusive, it’s probable that the game will come to Xbox Series X/S via Smart Delivery. If true, this would also likely mean that you won’t have to pay for it again (but it’s no guarantee). As is, you won’t have to pay for Bleeding Edge at all if you’re a subscriber to Xbox Game Pass. Additionally, Bleeding Edge supports both cross-play and cross-progression.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare/Warzone

Infinity Ward has no announced plans to port Call of Duty: Modern Warfare to next-gen, which makes sense given Treyarch is launching a brand-new CoD, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, this year, which will be released for both Xbox Series X/S and PS5.

That said, Call of Duty: Warzone will be getting next-gen ports, so you’ll be able to keep playing the battle royale game on Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Given that the current-gen versions of Warzone are free-to-play, it’s likely the next-gen versions will be too. Warzone already offers cross-play and cross-progression.

Destiny 2

Bungie has confirmed that Destiny 2 will be getting Xbox Series X/S and PS5 ports and current players will be able to upgrade to next gen for free. So if you’re playing on Xbox One, you can upgrade to Xbox Series X/S for free and if you’re playing on PS4, you can upgrade to PS5 for free.

Destiny 2 currently supports cross-progression and this will hold true for next-gen transitions. If you’ve yet to pick up Destiny 2, the game is coming to Xbox Game Pass–including the next expansion, which will release the same day that the Xbox Series X/S launches. Though Destiny 2 currently doesn’t support cross-play, Bungie plans to add the feature in 2021.

The Division 2

Ubisoft has not announced any plans to port The Division 2 to next-gen consoles. However, the game should still be playable on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 through backwards compatibility.

Dragon Ball FighterZ

As of now, Arc System Works hasn’t said whether Dragon Ball FighterZ will re-release for Xbox Series X/S and PS5, but the fighting game still enjoys a healthy playerbase–it seems ripe for backwards compatibility support, especially since new characters are still being introduced.

Forza Horizon 4

Xbox has already announced a next-gen Forza Motorsport so Forza Horizon 4 may not get an Xbox Series X/S port. Instead, the Xbox first-party title will “upgrade” to Xbox Series standards via Smart Delivery. If you don’t own it, you can download the game on Xbox Series X/S through Xbox Game Pass.

Fallout 76

Bethesda has only confirmed next-gen ports for Doom Eternal and The Elder Scrolls Online but has also committed to offering free upgrades for any of its other games that ultimately get next-gen ports. So provided Fallout 76 is one of those games, you won’t have to pay for it again when playing on Xbox Series X/S and PS5.

FIFA 21

EA has confirmed that FIFA 21 won’t support cross-play, but it will support cross-progression support between current- and next-gen consoles. Buy the game on PS4 and your progress will follow you to PS5; same thing for Xbox One and Xbox Series. Upgrading to next-gen will be free as well, but only provided you stick to the same console family and buy the game by a specific date.

Final Fantasy XIV

No next-gen plans have been announced for Final Fantasy XIV.

For Honor

Ubisoft is planning to put cross-play into all of its PvP games, which presumably includes For Honor. However, the studio hasn’t announced any next-gen plans for the game.

Fortnite

Epic Games has confirmed that Xbox Series X/S and PS5 versions of Fortnite will be available at both next-gen consoles’ launches. The battle royale game supports cross-play and cross-progression (even between console generations), allowing you to keep playing with your friends regardless of where you set up shop. Fortnite is also free to play so you don’t have to worry about paying for the game again when it comes out on next gen.

Grounded

Obsidian hasn’t yet announced next-gen plans for Grounded, though the game is an Xbox first-party title that’s available through Xbox Game Pass. So even if an Xbox Series version isn’t made, the game won’t cost you another cent to own if you either already own it (and can take advantage of Xbox Series’ backwards compatibility) or have Game Pass and can thus download it on Series X/S as part of your subscription.

H1Z1: Battle Royale

No word yet on whether H1Z1: Battle Royale will be getting next-gen ports.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

343 Industries is hard at work on getting Halo Infinite ready–the next-gen Halo game has been delayed to 2021. In the meantime, you’ll be able to play Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Series X/S via backwards compatibility. The game is available through Xbox Game Pass as well, so you don’t have to pay for it if you’re a subscriber.

Though Halo: MCC does have cross-progression, it doesn’t yet have cross-play. Cross-play support is in the works, though.

Hyper Scape

According to SegmentNext, Ubisoft’s Hyper Scape will be playable on Xbox Series X/S and PS5 at launch, though the version of the game that will be playable will be the same as the one currently available on Xbox One and PS4. It’s some confusing wording on Ubisoft’s part that doesn’t make clear whether we can expect to see full next-gen ports that are just copies of the current-gen game or that both Xbox Series and PS5 will support backwards compatibility with Hyper Scape’s Xbox One and PS4 versions.

Regardless, Hyper Scape supports cross-progression so you’ll be able to take your data with you to next-gen if Xbox Series X/S and PS5 ports are released. The game is also free to play, so you don’t have to worry about paying for it again.

Madden NFL 21

Like FIFA 21, Madden NFL 21 will be getting Xbox Series and PS5 ports that will support both cross-play and cross-progression with current-gen consoles. The upgrade to next-gen is free as well, though only if you stick to the same console family and purchase the game by a specific date.

Marvel’s Avengers

Marvel’s Avengers will be getting PS5 and Xbox Series X/S ports and you’ll be able to upgrade to next gen for free if you already own the game. You must have the game on Xbox One to upgrade to Xbox Series X/S–same goes for PS4 and PS5.

Though your progress will follow you in the free upgrade, Marvel’s Avengers does not support cross-play or cross-progression. So, for example, if you own the game on PS4 and decide to buy the Xbox Series X/S version, your progress won’t follow you.

Minecraft

We’ve already seen what Minecraft looks like on Xbox Series X/S–ray tracing makes that game look a lot better. Whether Minecraft gets actual next-gen ports is still up in the air, but both Series X and PS5 will be able to play the game via backwards compatibility.

NBA 2K21

This is a weird one, and not in a good way. NBA 2K21 will have Xbox Series X/S and PS5 ports that will cost more than the current-gen counterparts ($70 USD on next-gen as opposed to $60 USD for current-gen). And you will have to pay for that $70 on top of the $60 you’ve already spent because there’s no free upgrade to next-gen unless you buy the $100 Mamba Forever edition of the game.

NBA 2K21 at least supports cross-progression across generations, so you won’t lose your progress when moving from Xbox One/PS4 to Xbox Series/PS5. But if you’re already planning on playing NBA 2K21 on next gen, you should consider dropping the extra cash on the Mamba Forever edition. You’ll save $30 in the long run.

No Man’s Sky

There’s no official word on whether No Man’s Sky will be getting next-gen ports. Given its still-active player-base, we can see No Man’s Sky being one of the games that can be played on Xbox Series X/S and PS5, though. The game has cross-play support as well, which could mean that next-gen ports (if they exist) might connect to the existing player-bases on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

Overwatch

Blizzard hasn’t announced next-gen plans for Overwatch but the game is getting a story-focused sequel, Overwatch 2, that will support both cross-play and cross-progression with Overwatch within system families (so, for example, Overwatch on PS4 connects to Overwatch 2 on PS4). That’s great and all, except that Blizzard hasn’t confirmed whether Overwatch 2 is releasing on Xbox Series X/S and PS5 either. It’s all up in the air on both games.

As a completely separate game, you will need to drop money to play Overwatch 2 even if you already own Overwatch. However, most of the content coming to Overwatch 2 will also be released for Overwatch–only the new PvE campaign is exclusive to the sequel. So you only have to pay if you’re interested in the PvE content.

Between the two, it’s more likely that Overwatch 2 will end up being the game that gets next-gen ports but it’s possible that both games could. Given Overwatch’s popularity in the hero shooter space, the game will likely at least be playable on Xbox Series X/S and PS5 through backwards compatibility. Blizzard has not announced any plans to add cross-play or cross-progression support to Overwatch or Overwatch 2

Phantasy Star Online 2

Phantasy Star Online 2 is getting a complete overhaul in 2021 with a new expansion titled Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis. The two universes will coexist, with your character being able to transfer between the two. However, your character level, class skills, and Photon Arts will not transfer between both universes.

Though there are no announced plans to port Phantasy Star Online 2 to Xbox Series X/S, New Genesis is scheduled to get a next-gen port. So even if your in-game progress won’t transfer from the Xbox One version of PSO2 to the Xbox Series version of NG, you’ll at least be able to transfer your character.

PlanetSide 2

There have been no announced plans to port PlanetSide 2 to PS5.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

Next-gen ports for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds have been confirmed, but that’s about it. No word on cross-play, cross-progression, release date, or whether players will have to pay for it again.

Rainbow Six Siege

Ubisoft has confirmed that Rainbow Six Siege will release on Xbox Series and PS5 at no additional cost to players who already own the game on Xbox One and PS4. The game already supports cross-play and cross-progression.

There is a small caveat to the free upgrade–it only applies to players who own the digital version of the game. So you need the digital version of Siege on Xbox One to upgrade for free to Xbox Series and likewise for PS4 to PS5.

Rocket League

No official word on next-gen ports for Rocket League, though the game does already support cross-play. It will get cross-progression when it goes free-to-play, provided you link your Rocket League save data to an Epic Games account. So if next-gen ports are in the works, you’ll be able to download them for free whenever they come out and take your account with you.

Sea of Thieves

Sea of Thieves will have an Xbox Series X/S port at the next-gen console’s launch, which will offer an improved version of the Xbox One game. You won’t have to pay for the upgrade and your progress will follow you to next gen.

State Of Decay 2

Undead Labs hasn’t announced whether State of Decay 2 will be getting a next-gen port, though its sequel, State of Decay 3, will release on both PC and Xbox Series X/S.

As Xbox first-party titles, both State of Decay 2 and State of Decay 3 will be available on Xbox Series X/S with an Xbox Game Pass subscription. State of Decay 2 supports both cross-play and cross-progression so State of Decay 3 will theoretically also support both features, though Undead Labs has not confirmed that.

Star Wars Squadrons

Currently, there are no announced plans to develop next-gen ports for Star Wars Squadrons. Instead, you’ll be able to play Squadrons via backwards compatibility on both Xbox Series X/S and PS5.

Squadrons will support cross-play at launch. However, the game won’t support cross-progression. You’re stuck with the system you buy the game for.

Street Fighter V

Capcom has yet to announce next-gen ports for Street Fighter V, though we could see the game being included in the list of supported backwards compatibility games on PS5. Especially since there hasn’t been a peep in regards to seeing the release of a Street Fighter VI anytime soon.

Valorant

Granted, Valorant isn’t even on this generation of consoles. However, developer Riot Games is prototyping Xbox One and PS4 versions of the game to see if that’s a viable option, so it could come to consoles one day. If the game does release for Xbox One and PS4, we imagine next-gen ports would also be a possibility. But we’ll have to wait and see.

Warframe

Warframe is scheduled to release on both PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. However, the free-to-play game does not support cross-play or cross-progression. That said, developer Digital Extremes did offer a limited-time, one-time platform transfer for players looking to move off of PC to consoles–a similar policy could be enacted when the next-gen ports come out. It would offer a way for players to move from Xbox One or PS4 to Xbox Series X/S or PS5.