One of last year's most critically-acclaimed games, Control, is coming to next-gen consoles. But while this is to be expected, the way that it'll be distributed for those who have purchased it for current-gen is disappointing. Instead of offering a free upgrade to all who already have the game, only those who purchase the upcoming Control Ultimate Edition will get a free upgrade.

This is in sharp contrast with some publishers, who have promised that those who buy cross-gen games on current-gen consoles won't have to pay again if they upgrade. Microsoft in particular has made this central to its strategy, promoting a consumer-friendly Smart Delivery feature that's available to any publisher that wants to take advantage of it. Of course, publisher 505 Games isn't alone in its approach, as 2K Sports was criticized for a similar deal with NBA 2K21. However, this is particularly bad news where Control is concerned, as the game really could have used a second chance.

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Though the game received a multitude of positive reviews, even positioning itself as a Game of the Year contender and winning Best Art Direction at The Game Awards, Control wasn't really a success. Few people actually played the game when it launched late last summer around the same time as Gears 5 and Borderlands 3, so getting it in front of as many gamers as possible should have been 505's priority. To its credit, the game did make its way onto PlayStation Now back in March, and subscribers can still try it out until the end of the month. However, as a great but underplayed game, Control had the potential to be a perfect fit for early adopters to next-gen.

Control is a technically-impressive title with great writing, engaging physics-based combat and a unique environment. The one serious critique it received had to do with performance issues, something that, hopefully, won't be a problem on next-gen consoles. Like other games that release late in a console's lifespan, Control pushes current-gen hardware to its limits and could thrive on a more powerful machine, reaching more people than it did at launch.

Of course, this news doesn't really effect the many gamers who haven't bought Control and may be considering Ultimate Edition now or after the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 are out. Still, 505's decision makes Control's second chance at success less likely. It does nothing for those who may have purchased the game already but never played or completed it and, perhaps worst of all, it shows no gratitude towards the most loyal fans who have been there since the start and have already paid for the game and its DLC. While Control is still great and deserves more attention than it's received up to now, any move that limits access to the game, especially for those who have been its strongest advocates, is the wrong decision.

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