With Xbox Series X/S and PS5 both set to begin their long-awaited journeys out into the wild next week, EA has detailed the next-gen enhancements coming to its biggest current-gen titles – including Apex Legends, Star Wars: Squadrons – via backward-compatibility on launch day.
Star Wars: Squadrons will, for instance, support variable refresh rates and offer the choice between better visuals and better performance on Xbox Series X/S. The former mode features an improved lighting model and runs up to 1440p at 60fps on the Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X ramps that up to 2160p at 60fps. Performance Mode, meanwhile, offers 1440p at 120fps and up to 2160p at 120fps respectively. PlayStation 5 will include improved lighting “at the same resolution and framerate as on the PS4 Pro”.
The next-gen news is a little brisker for Apex Legends, which will see a “performance boost up to 1440p”. EA does note, however, that “more formal enhancements” for Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 are planned to arrive next year.
Next up is Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered; the Xbox Series X version is said to perform “like it’s on an Xbox One X”, and Xbox Series S will run the game “like it’s on an Xbox One S”. Perhaps unsurprisingly, then, the PlayStation 5 will run it “like it’s on the PlayStation 4 Pro”.
Over in The Sims 4, the base game and all of the currently released packs will be available on the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 with faster loading times and smoother framerates.
As for EA’s big sports titles – UFC 4, NHL 21, Madden NFL 21, and FIFA 21 – all four games will feature improved load times and framerates. EA also says they’ll run “as if on an Xbox One X” for Xbox Series X and “like they’re on an Xbox One S” for Xbox Series S. Again, the PlayStation 5 will be comparable to PlayStation 4 Pro.