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How EA Games Use PS5 And Xbox Series X/S: Apex, Star Wars: Squadrons, And More

In the case of Star Wars: Squadrons, Xbox players will have more options than those on PS5.

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Electronic Arts has outlined the various ways in which its marquee titles take advantage of the power of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/Series S consoles, which arrive very soon. These games primarily will primarily rely on backwards compatibility, at least at first, rather than getting native next-gen versions.

Perhaps the most interesting case is Star Wars: Squadrons, which has two dedicated settings to choose from: one focused on visual fidelity and the other on performance. However, this feature is apparently only available on Xbox platforms, while PS5 users are only getting "improved lighting." Read on to get the scoop on how EA's major games make the most of the next-gen consoles.

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Madden NFL 21 And FIFA 21

The next-gen editions of Madden NFL 21 land FIFA 21 launch on December 4, so they won't be available at launch, but it will arrive not long after. (The current-gen versions should be playable through backwards compatibility.) EA boasts that the next-gen versions of the games will "deliver their most immersive and authentic experiences yet" on the new consoles. More details about the specific ways in which the games leverage the power of the consoles will be announced later in November.

Anyone who has already bought Madden NFL 21 or FIFA 21 for a current-gen console can upgrade to the next-gen edition for free until Madden NFL 22 and FIFA 21 arrive in 2021. progress from Madden 21's Ultimate Team, The Yard, and Franchise modes move with you to next-gen, while Ultimate Team and Volta Football content in FIFA 21 will also transfer.

Star Wars: Squadrons

On Xbox Series X or S, players can choose from two different options within the game, one of which offers better visual quality and the other favoring performance. The improved visual quality option brings the game up to 1400p at 60FPS on Xbox Series S and up to 4K at 60 FPS on Xbox Series X. In the performance move, the game runs at up to 1440p at 120FPS on Series S and up to 4K at 120 FPS on Series X. The developers have also introduced a Variable Refresh Rate option for displays that support it.

On PS5, players can expect improved lighting and the same resolution and frame rate on PS4 Pro. (According to Digital Foundry's findings at the game's launch, that means it'll run between 1440p and 1800p at 60 FPS.) The press release did not say if the PS5 edition will offer the visual quality/performance options that Xbox users are getting.

Regardless, there will also be cross-gen cross-play, so everyone on Xbox One, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5 can play together.

Apex Legends

Apex Legends, the battle royale game from the developers of Titanfall will offer a resolution increase up to 1440p. More "formal enhancements" are planned for 2021, but they were not disclosed.

Apex Legends will also support cross-gen cross-play, just like Star Wars Squadrons. In this situation, people on PC (Origin and Steam), Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5 can play together.

The Sims 4

The massively popular The Sims 4 is also getting improvements on next-gen, with EA promises faster loading times and smoother frame rates. The game's 10th expansion, Snowy Escape, will be available on November 13 for the next-gen platforms (and previous-gen and PC). Additionally, all previously released expansion packs will be available on next-gen platforms.

Other Sports Games

In addition to the dedicated new versions of FIFA 21 and Madden NFL 21 headed to next-gen, the current-gen editions of those games--along with UFC 4 and NHL 21--will be playable on next-gen platforms through backwards compatibility. On Xbox Series X, all four titles will run as if they were on an Xbox One X, EA said. For those on Xbox Series S, these games will run with a similar experience to Xbox One S. On PS5, the games will offer the same experience as they do on PS4 Pro. On all three platforms, players can expect faster load times and better frame rates, although specific figures were not shared.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered

Finally, the remastered version of Criterion's 2010 racing game Need for Speed Hot Pursuit launches on November 6 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and it will also be playable on Xbox Series X/S and PS5 when those consoles release. As with the aforementioned sports games, backwards compatibility functions similarly: The Xbox Series X version runs as if it were on Xbox One X (with that platform's enhancements), while the Series S version uses the Xbox One S version. The PS5 version will run as if it were on PS4 Pro.

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