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EA Sports will allow for digital Madden 21 buyers to upgrade to next-gen for free

You can upgrade Madden 21 to an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 version.

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Eli Blumenthal is a senior editor at CNET with a particular focus on covering the latest in the ever-changing worlds of telecom, streaming and sports. He previously worked as a technology reporter at USA Today.
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Madden 21 features new ball carrier controls. 

 EA Sports

After briefly showing off Madden 21 during May's Xbox Series X event, EA Sports on Tuesday revealed its first real trailer for its forthcoming NFL game due out on Aug. 28. 

Showcasing new ball-carrier and pass-rush controls, the new trailer's graphics and gameplay were based on the current generation of consoles . Fans who plan to switch to the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, however, will be able to upgrade their digital Xbox One or PlayStation 4 copies for free. 

In a statement, EA says that it has reached partnerships with both  Microsoft and Sony to offer "Dual Entitlement" where a Madden 21 Xbox One or PlayStation 4 buyer will be able to upgrade for free to Madden 21 on Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 for "no additional cost." 

EA says the offer will be available "all the way through the Madden NFL 21 season, up to the release of Madden NFL 22" to give gamers time to buy the new systems. Those who buy a physical version of Madden 21, however, will not be able to upgrade. 

It is not immediately clear if those who buy an Xbox One version will be able to convert that game into a PlayStation 5 copy (and vice versa) if they decide to switch platforms. It also is unclear if progress in modes like Ultimate Team or Face of the Franchise will be able to be carried over from one generation of console to the next. 

The company is hosting an "EA Play Live" event on Thursday at 4 p.m. PT (7 p.m. ET), in which it promises to further detail its next-generation plans. CNET has reached out to EA for additional comment and will update if it responds.