Last month, Control publisher 505 Games confirmed that the game’s Ultimate Edition version, which bundles the original title with two expansions, will be the only way to get a free upgrade to the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions without re-purchasing the game. At the time, 505 said this was an option it chose because it couldn’t bring all current-gen players to next-gen platforms and framed it as avoiding “leaving any one group out.” That’s what makes the latest development in the story so confusing.
Users on the gaming forum ResetEra reported that despite owning the Deluxe Edition of the game, which is not the same as the Ultimate Edition, they found they had been upgraded to it anyway. A short time later, this was revoked, and they were reverted back to the previous version of the game.
505 Games’ decision to not offer any sort of upgrade path for most Control players was controversial because it wasn’t just the base game that would need to be transferred. It has received two substantial expansions, and with performance issues on current-gen systems sometimes affecting framerate, it’s expected that the next-gen experience will be superior.
Several other game publishers have announced either discounted or completely free game upgrades to next-gen platforms. Ubisoft is doing this with nearly all its upcoming games, including Watch Dogs Legion and Far Cry 6, and despite releasing in 2015, The Witcher 3 will get a free upgrade, as well. Activision’s Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is priced at $70 on Xbox Series X/S and PS5, but this package also includes access to the last-gen version, effectively making the upgrade cost $10.
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