The ninth generation of consoles has brought with it some major improvements to the gaming experience, but it's also brought new challenges to publishers and developers. Many companies are now trying find the best way to release next-gen upgrades for games on older consoles, and others are addressing this problem for games right around the corner. Two of Electronic Arts' most popular sports franchises, FIFA and Madden NFL, have new games on the way, but it looks like PS4 and Xbox One players may have to spend quite a bit to enjoy a next-gen experience.
The FIFA and Madden NFL franchises are slated to be another example of the added expense next-gen technology brings to gaming. With some publishers now feeling comfortable enough to offer Xbox Series X|S and PS5 games at $70 instead of $60, the cost of the newest gaming experience is going up. Next-gen upgrades for older versions of games can come at a cost, as seen with the PlayStation Plus version of GreedFall and the Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Although games like Subnautica have offered no-strings-attached next-gen upgrades, FIFA 22 and Madden NFL 22 will be different beasts.
Many gamers will already be familiar with EA's Dual Entitlement program, which allows a player to upgrade their copy of a certain game from PS4 to PS5 or Xbox One to Xbox Series X|S for free. This was introduced for previous games like FIFA 21 and will continue for newer EA Sports titles but will be limited to specific editions. For FIFA 22, only players who purchase the $100 digital Ultimate Edition will get both versions of the game. Physical copies of the Ultimate Edition and all Standard Edition versions won't include the option for next-gen upgrades on Xbox One and PS4.
Madden NFL 22 is a bit more generous but will still be expensive for those wanting next-gen upgrades. Players can purchase either the physical or digital version of the $100 MVP Edition of the game, or purchase the $120 Dynasty Edition to get the benefits of Dual Entitlement. For gamers who don't want to spend the extra money to get the upgradable version of these EA games, they will have to simply buy the Xbox Series X|S or PS5 versions at full price.
While it does make sense for next-gen upgrades to cost money, EA's edition limitations for these games and the amount of the price bump probably won't make very many gamers happy. Both the FIFA and Madden NFL franchises are already frequently under fire for their Ultimate Team game modes, which have been criticized for the amount of money they seemingly encourage gamers to spend. PS4 and Xbox One players may just need to prepare to drop an extra $40 if they want to experience next-gen FIFA and Madden NFL.
FIFA 22 releases October 1 on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Madden NFL 22 is scheduled to release on August 20 for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: FIFA FAQ, Madden FAQ