Xbox Series X support backwards-compatible crossplay

Xbox Series X players will be able to play multiplayer games with friends playing on the Xbox One. Previews for the new console from both The Verge and Gamespot, published earlier today, confirmed the feature.

According to Gamespot, "first-party titles will support cross-gen multiplayer," but for third-party titles, it'll be the developers' choice as to whether players on different consoles will be able to play together. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is said to have confirmed cross-gen play, for example. The Verge tested a little further, stating that "in every multiplayer game I've tested on Series X, I was able to join friends who were using an Xbox One and match against other Xbox One players."

Microsoft first mentioned cross-generation multiplayer in a blog post back in March, but there's been little further word on how that would work. Now, the suggestion that a good number of current-gen games will be able to matchmake with the next-gen hardware is likely to appeal to those who haven't managed to secure a new console straight away, but it also poses questions around the difference in load times and the potential advantage that enhanced visuals or frame-rate enhancements will offer Series X players.

Given the increased prevalence of cross-play between the Xbox One and the PS4 in recent years, cross-gen multiplayer doesn't exactly come as a surprise, but it doesn't necessarily have a precedent. At the start of this console generation, those playing on Xbox One were separated from those on the Xbox 360, so this is certainly a welcome change.

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