Jaws Simulator Maneater Gets Free PS5, Xbox Series X Upgrade

Developer Tripwire Interactive, the studio behind Killing Floor 2, announced that its shark-RPG Maneater will get a free PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/Series X upgrade when both consoles drop this November.

More specifically, the next-gen upgrade will be available on November 10 for Xbox Series S and Series X and November 12 for PlayStation 5. Things get complicated if you own a physical disc and decide to purchase either the PS5 Digital Edition or the discless Xbox Series S; you'll have to repurchase the game.

The upgrade features ray-tracing support, native 4K HDR at 60 FPS, and new lighting effects to make shark attacks more gruesome. Tripwire went further to say that the Xbox Series S (and, likely, the Series X as well) will "benefit from increased graphical fidelity and frame rate." According to an FAQ, this free upgrade is not a separate application or game; anyone who owns Maneater digitally or physically on either platform can upgrade to the next-gen version at no extra charge.

Furthermore, the upgrade supports cross-progression between versions. So, if you own Maneater digitally or physically on PlayStation 4 and upgrade to a PlayStation 5, all your stats, saves, and trophies carry over to the next-gen console. The same occurs between Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X. Tripwire said active subscriptions--PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live--may be required for the transfer to happen.

It's worth noting that those who own physical copies of Maneater don't need to worry about the disc being unplayable on the next-gen consoles so long as the consoles have disc drives. Tripwire confirmed in the FAQ that you simply need to "insert that disc into your next-gen console and download the updated game to play." PC players will get next-gen updates in early 2021. Tripwire said it will share more details on those enhancements in the coming months.

While there's no confirmation on a release date, Tripwire also confirmed that Maneater DLC is coming. The studio isn't talking about this DLC or the still-unannounced Nintendo Switch port yet.

Maneater launched on May 22 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It took the internet by storm, becoming one of the most-talked-about games despite the middling reception it received. We scored the game a 7/10 in our Maneater review, saying, "With the sharply written, hilariously delivered narration and story beats to freshen up the experience as you go along, Maneater becomes a goofy, fish-flopping romp, with a good balance of limbs to sever, boats to wreck, and challenging creatures to render into bite-sized chunks."