Buy Halo Infinite On Xbox One And You'll Already Own It For Xbox Series X

Microsoft has shared a load of new details about the Xbox Series X, but one of the biggest consumer-facing moves is a feature the company calls Smart Delivery. It essentially functions as a forward-facing cross-buy, letting you purchase a game once and then have access to it on whatever Xbox hardware you own.

The opening volley is Microsoft's first-party flagship game, Halo Infinite. That means that you can purchase it on your Xbox One and upgrade to Xbox Series X later, without having to re-purchase the game. The Smart Delivery feature means you'll get "the right version of that game on whatever Xbox you're playing on." The announcement also confirmed Halo Infinite will be a Game Pass title.

The company signaled this approach in January when it said it won't be launching the Xbox Series X with next-gen exclusives. That means you won't have to purchase the new console to play Halo Infinite, but one purchase stays with you across console generations. Since Microsoft's new approach is to release more console variations throughout the lifecycle, this should help assure players that they can buy some games without having to re-purchase them later.

Just how many games it will apply to remains to be seen, however. Microsoft seems likely to use Smart Delivery on its first-party games, but it's voluntary for third-parties. So far, we know that Cyberpunk 2077 will use it.