When Capcom first announcedResident Evil 8at the PlayStation 5 reveal event, the next-generation survival-horror game was only confirmed for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X. For months, Capcom made no mention of a last-gen version ofResident Evil 8for PS4 and Xbox One, leaving fans to assume that they would need to upgrade to newer hardware to play the latest game in the long-running series. However, it’s since been confirmed that’s not the case.
During theResident Evilshowcase eventthat aired on January 21, Capcom confirmed thatResident Evil 8is indeed coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Not only that, but the PS4 and Xbox One version ofResident Evil 8will be releasing day and date with the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions. So even gamers that have been unable to upgrade to the new consoles will still be able to playResident Evil 8on its release date of May 7.
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Some may want to hold out for the next-gen version, but Capcom also confirmed that players will be able to upgrade for free. Anyone that buys the digital version ofResident Evil 8on PS4 will get the PS5 version at no extra cost, whereas those on Xbox One can play the Xbox Series X version through theSmart Delivery program. This way, those that purchaseResident Evil 8for an older console can still see what the next-gen version brings to the table at no extra charge.
Some fans may be curious as to why Capcom didn’t always confirmResident Evil 8for PS4 and Xbox One, and while the company has not elaborated in an official capacity, there is some idea as to why that may be. A few months ago,Capcom first teased thatResident Evil 8could be coming to PS4 and Xbox One, but didn’t make any concrete promises. The assumption is that Capcom was finding it difficult to scale backResident Evil 8for the older consoles, though it appears to have successfully done so at this point.
Even thoughResident Evil 8is now a cross-gen game instead of a full-blown next-gen release, it will still have benefits exclusive to the next-generation consoles. Besides performing better and having superior graphics,Resident Evil 8on next-gen consoles will have no load times. Generally speaking, this should make for an overall smoother experience for those playing the game on beefier hardware.
In the meantime, those on PS5 can get a taste ofResident Evil 8earlier than expected. APS5 exclusiveResident Evil 8demois hitting the PlayStation Store tonight, so fans can see how the game looks on Sony’s latest machine.
Resident Evil 8launches May 7 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
