Developers have confirmed that the racing game between console and PC, and it seems to be making it easy for games that want to that to do so with the Xbox Series X.
On the flip side, Sony is making some sort of effort to bridge the generations, but it seems half-hearted when compared to the competition. Launch games like Sony's first-party releases seem to be able to let players start a game on their last-gen console, and then transfer saves over to the PlayStation 5.
The developer of Dirt 5 has confirmed that it's in the same boat when it comes to PlayStation. In a reply to a tweet asking about cross-save on Sony consoles, the official Dirt stated that players would only be able to carry over maps made in the Playgrounds mode between generations. Everything else will need to be restarted if a player is interested in playing on both machines. The developer has previously confirmed that PS4 owners will get a PS5 copy of the game on the house, but the save situation makes that offer just a little less enticing.
Other games releasing on both consoles such as Maneater and Yakuza: Like a Dragon have also had to clarify that saves would not be coming over when PlayStation owners upgrade. This is in sharp contrast to Xbox, where all three games will not only offer a free next-gen version to previous-gen owners, but they'll also transfer saves via the console's Smart Delivery technology. The last line of the tweet gives some hope to PlayStation owners that something is in the works, and it would be wise for Sony to offer a way to combat Xbox's focus on cross-gen compatibility.
This is an issue for Dirt 5 owners looking to stick with the PlayStation family of consoles, but it's a greater issue for Sony itself. As the next console generation approaches, there are new expectations on games that have never been put in place before. Gamers on mobile never have a problem pulling down game progress when they upgrade their phone, and those same gamers are being wooed by new cloud streaming services. Xbox is pushing that same cloud technology into the console space, making Sony and its "We believe in generations" mantra seem instantly outdated in the process.
Dirt 5 will be available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on November 10. It will release on PlayStation 5 this holiday and Stadia in 2021.
Source: DIRT/Twitter
