The Next-Gen Upgrade Program

With the release of next-gen consoles right around the figurative corner, game companies are still producing game for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Today’s major release is Madden 25, developed by Electronic Arts and thus an interesting program begins today as well. 

Both Microsoft and Sony have announced plans for current-gen gamers to trade in their Xbox 360/PS3 versions of a game, and get a brand-new copy of the same game for their next-gen consoles. 

Current-gen Xbox 360 games such as Madden 25, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4, and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag are eligible for the trade-in program. One will only have to own a copy of the game for Xbox 360 and then pay $10 for the next-gen version of the same game. The idea is too mitigate some of the pain of buying the same game twice for $60 each time, and might also help lessen the pain of spending $499 on an Xbox One. That’s a maybe, though.

Playstation 3 owners have a similar program for their versions of the games as well, but Sony has not yet released an official price. The only thing that Sony has released so far was at Gamescom last week, and the Sony program is fairly similar to the Microsoft one. Playstation 3 games can be traded-in and players will be able to get a digital copy of the game at a “signficantly reduced price.” Best guess would place the price to upgrade at is pretty close to what Microsoft is offering at $10, but that is just a educated guess!

There have been some complaints as to why players should have to spend any money to upgrade their games from current-gen to next-gen, but honestly it beats having to buy the same game for $60 so it could be much, much worse. Needless to say, when the time comes that maybe I can purchase a next-gen console I may very well take GameStop or Amazon up on the offer.

What is your take on this program?  Do you like it?  Hate it?  Let me know in the Comments below!