In a new trailer, which you can see embedded below, Microsoft announced that an optimized version of Hellblade has launched for Xbox Series X/S, offering “enriched visuals, DirectX Raytracing,[a] resolution mode and more.” The upgrade is free for anyone who already owns the game, and Hellblade is also available to download and play via Xbox Game Pass as well as Xbox Cloud Gaming. If you’ve yet to jump into the game, now seems like a better time than ever, then – leveraging the power of the new-gen machines will make the game feel even more impressive than it already was. It’s also a good idea to play (or even replay!) the game ahead of the launch of Hellblade 2. Originally announced during The Game Awards back in 2019, Hellblade 2 was the first Xbox Series X game to be announced and we were given a look at an in-engine trailer. The game is being developed using Unreal Engine 5, and it’s widely seen as a title that will show off the full power of the new console generation. We’ve heard that Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 combat will be “real and brutal”, so getting used to a modern Ninja Theory game in Senua’s Sacrifice is a good way of training up for what’s coming next.