‘Destiny’ Offers Free PS4/Xbox One Upgrade With PS3/Xbox 360 Digital Purchase
The website for Bungie’s Destiny was updated Friday with some amazing news for those that have a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, or are considering purchasing one in the future. You’ll receive a free digital copy for the next-gen version when you buy the digital version for the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360. But wait, there’s more.
Very important information for anyone who plans to migrate from last-gen to next-gen: http://t.co/lKPY0UZshy
— Bungie (@Bungie) September 5, 2014
According to the FAQ, purchasing the PS3 digital versions of Destiny, Destiny Digital Guardian Edition on or before January 15, 2015 via the PlayStation Store will grant the PS4 version for free. Likewise, purchasing any of those digital versions for the Xbox 360 version from the Xbox Store will result in a free digital copy for the Xbox One.
Now here’s the best part, you will still be able to play Destiny on the PS3 and PS4 or Xbox 360 and Xbox One using the same account and same character. This was confirmed by the following statement in the FAQ.
Q. Will my Guardians, progress, stats, and gear carry over when I download and play the next-gen version?
Yes. Whether you participate in this program or not, your Guardians, progress, stats, and gear are shared within a console family (PlayStation®3<->PlayStation®4 or Xbox 360<->Xbox One) and will be waiting for you when you transition to next-gen.
While it is unfortunate that you will not be able to carry the same character over from the PlayStation to the Xbox and vice versa, this is still a better offering than the vast number of multi-platform games that have been released. For example, Minecraft was just released yesterday for the PS4 and Xbox One and it still requires at least a $5 charge to upgrade.
This promotion also sets up a number of interesting scenarios. I previously wrote an article for the Inquisitr that included me lamenting the lack of local split-screen multiplayer in Destiny. This leaves me unable to play with my son, which is something we both heavily anticipated since the game was announced. Since I have two Xbox 360 consoles, the character transfer offers the next best thing.
I can purchase Destiny on one Xbox 360 where my son can play and, thanks to the Xbox LIVE profile, log in on another so that we can play together. Sony supports a similar setup with Game Share on the PlayStation 3. Plus, everyone will still be able to enjoy the next-gen version.
Another scenario might be where you have upgraded to the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, but not all of your friends have. The character transfer program allows you to switch back and forth between consoles in the PlayStation and Xbox families to let you play with who you want when they are available. That’s pretty crucial for those six-man Raids.
The downside to this announcement is that it simply comes too late. Some PlayStation and Xbox owners have already pre-ordered the digital versions of the game for the next-gen consoles and may not be able to cancel depending on their country. Similarly, not everyone may be aware of this program by the time the game launches next Tuesday.
Does the free Destiny upgrade from the PS3 and Xbox 360 to the PS4 and Xbox One change your purchase plans? Let us know in the comments below.
[Images via Bungie]
