Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War: Xbox Series X upgrade explained

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will be available on both Xbox One and Xbox Series X. Here’s how to upgrade to the next generation.

The transition from one console generation to the next always has a few complications. In this case, the upgrade process for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War from Xbox One to Xbox Series X isn’t exactly straightforward — at least, not if you want to save some money.

While some publishers are offering free next-gen upgrades, others are charging small fees (around $10). Others simply aren’t offering any sort of upgrade incentive. And then we have Activision with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War which I guess you could say is doing a hybrid. Here’s the most straightforward breakdown.

Forwards compatibility

For starters, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will be forwards compatible. That means if you purchase it on Xbox One when it launches on November 13, you’ll be able to play it on Xbox Series X as well for no additional cost.

However, the version you’ll be playing on Xbox Series X will not be the “next-gen” version, meaning you won’t get any of the next-gen benefits like higher framerate, ray-tracing or faster load times.  It will simply be the Xbox One version that you are playing — unless you choose to pay to upgrade to the Xbox Series X edition.

Digital Cross-Gen Edition

The simplest way to look at this if you plan on purchasing Call of Duty: BLack Ops Cold War and eventually an Xbox Series X is to simply buy the Digital Cross-Gen Edition. This is the most straightforward process.

It includes both Xbox One and Xbox Series X versions of the game through a dual-license that’s tied to your Xbox account. So when you buy an Xbox Series X, you’ll be able to download and play the next-gen version of the game with no problem.

Alternatively, if you’re not sure if or when you’re getting an Xbox Series X, you can purchase the Standard Edition and later pay a $10 fee to upgrade to the Cross-Gen Edition. It’s the same price either way.

Digital Ultimate Edition

There’s also the Digital Ultimate Edition for $89.99. This also includes both versions of the game plus some digital goodies in the “Land, Sea, and Air Pack” as well as the Battle Pass Bundle with 20 Tier Skips.

Physical Editions

Of course, there will be physical editions of Black Ops Cold War available too. There’s the Xbox One version for $59.99; however, you are not able to upgrade this to the Xbox Series X experience.

If you want physical and want to play on both console generations, buy the Physical Standard Xbox Series X Edition for $69.99. This features both versions. Keep in mind that if you buy the physical edition of the game you’ll need the Xbox Series X to play it as the Xbox Series S does not have a disc drive.