As a new generation of consoles awakens, Capcom has chosen Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition as one of its first offerings on Xbox Series X|S — a fitting symbol of how the games industry perpetually reinvents familiar stories through the lens of new technology. The release brings not just enhanced visuals and performance, but a beloved antagonist made playable, inviting players to revisit a known world from an entirely different perspective. It is a reminder that progress in this medium is rarely about abandonment, but about deepening what already exists.
Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition launches on Xbox Series X|S with playable Vergil
Playing through the campaign as him is genuinely a different experience
Mark
Why does a Special Edition matter when the original game already exists? What's actually different here?
Mimi
It's about what the hardware can do. The Series X and S are built differently than the last generation—faster processors, better graphics chips. A Special Edition is how developers show off those capabilities. 120 frames per second instead of 60 changes how the game feels to play. Ray tracing isn't just prettier; it's a different way of calculating light that wasn't feasible before.
Mark
But if I already own Devil May Cry 5, do I need to buy this?
Mimi
That depends on what you want. If you're happy with how it plays on your current console, no. But if you have a Series X or Series S, the Special Edition is the version built for that hardware. It's faster, sharper, more responsive. And Vergil is the real draw—he's a new way to play through the entire game.
Mark
What's the deal with ray tracing not being on Series S at launch?
Mimi
The Series S is the less powerful machine. Ray tracing is computationally expensive. Capcom made a choice: launch the game now with the feature coming later, or delay everything. They went with the update path. It's a practical compromise.
Mark
So Vergil is exclusive to this version?
Mimi
Not entirely. He's coming to the old versions as DLC in December. But right now, if you want to play as him, you need the Special Edition. It's a timed exclusive, essentially.
Mark
Is this just a cash grab, or is there something substantial here?
Mimi
Vergil isn't just a skin. He has different moves, different pacing, different strengths and weaknesses. Playing through the campaign as him is genuinely a different experience. The audio work and performance upgrades matter too. It's not revolutionary, but it's thoughtfully done.
The Pulse
- Microsoft's new consoles launch into the world with a flagship title already pushing their limits — 120fps, 4K, and ray tracing arriving as proof of what next-gen hardware can do.
- The Series S faces an early compromise, with ray tracing delayed to a future update, exposing the quiet tension between hardware tiers within the same console family.
- Vergil's addition as a fully playable character disrupts the familiar campaign, offering a distinct fighting style that makes the known story feel genuinely new.
- Legendary Dark Knight and Turbo Mode raise the stakes for veterans, demanding mastery rather than simply rewarding completion.
- Capcom extends an olive branch to last-gen players, making Vergil available as affordable DLC on PS4, Xbox One, and Steam from December 15 — keeping the community whole rather than fractured.
As a new generation of consoles awakens, Capcom has chosen Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition as one of its first offerings on Xbox Series X|S — a fitting symbol of how the games industry perpetually reinvents familiar stories through the lens of new technology. The release brings not just enhanced visuals and performance, but a beloved antagonist made playable, inviting players to revisit a known world from an entirely different perspective. It is a reminder that progress in this medium is rarely about abandonment, but about deepening what already exists.
Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition arrived on Xbox Series X and Series S today as one of the first native releases on Microsoft's new hardware, with the PlayStation 5 version following just two days later on November 12. Physical editions across all platforms are set for December 1.
The Special Edition is designed as a showcase for next-gen capability. Frame rates can reach 120fps on supported displays, the game renders in full 4K, and ray tracing brings a new layer of fidelity to reflections, shadows, and lighting. Series S owners will need to wait a little longer for ray tracing, which arrives via a later update — a small but telling concession to the hardware's limitations. Spatial 3D audio rounds out the sensory upgrades, letting players hear threats approaching from any direction with a precision that subtly reshapes how combat is experienced.
The headline addition is Vergil, the silver-haired swordsman long central to the franchise's mythology. Now fully playable across all five campaign missions and the Bloody Palace endurance mode, he brings a distinct moveset that makes revisiting the story feel like a genuinely different game rather than a cosmetic swap. Legendary Dark Knight difficulty and Turbo Mode offer further challenges for those who want to test the limits of their skill.
For players who already own the original Devil May Cry 5, Capcom has ensured they won't be excluded — Vergil will be available as DLC on PS4, Xbox One, and Steam from December 15, priced at £3.99 or €4.99. It's a modest entry point for content that meaningfully expands the game, and a signal that the franchise intends to move forward without leaving its existing audience behind.
Capcom's Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition arrived on Xbox Series X and Series S today, marking the franchise's first native release on Microsoft's new hardware. The digital version launches immediately, with PlayStation 5 getting its turn on November 12. Physical copies across all platforms will follow on December 1.
The Special Edition is built to showcase what next-generation consoles can do. Players can push frame rates up to 120 frames per second on supported displays, render the entire game in 4K resolution, and experience ray tracing effects that bring reflections, shadows, and lighting to life with a level of detail the previous generation couldn't manage. There's a catch on the Series S side: ray tracing will arrive later as a downloadable update rather than at launch, a technical compromise reflecting the less powerful hardware.
Beyond raw performance, Capcom has layered in audio enhancements that take advantage of the new consoles' spatial sound capabilities. The 3D audio system lets players hear enemies approaching from above, below, or to either side with precision that changes how combat feels. It's a subtle but meaningful shift in how the game communicates danger.
The content roster includes everything from the original Deluxe Edition and the EX Color Pack, but the headline addition is Vergil, the silver-haired swordsman who's been central to Devil May Cry lore since the beginning. He's now fully playable across all five campaign missions and the Bloody Palace endurance mode, giving players an entirely different way to experience the story. Vergil brings his own moveset and fighting style, distinct enough that replaying missions as him doesn't feel like a reskin.
For those seeking punishment, Legendary Dark Knight difficulty is back—a mode that floods encounters with significantly more enemies, demanding tighter execution and faster decision-making. Turbo Mode accelerates the entire game's speed, rewarding players who've mastered the combat system and want to push their stylish combo chains even further.
Existing Devil May Cry 5 owners won't be left behind. Starting December 15, Vergil will become available as DLC for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam versions of the original game, priced at £3.99 or €4.99. It's a relatively modest ask for a character that fundamentally expands how the game can be played, and it signals Capcom's commitment to keeping the older versions relevant even as the franchise moves forward.
Notable Quotes
The 3D audio system lets players hear enemies approaching from above, below, or to either side with precision that changes how combat feels— Capcom's audio design approach for the Special Edition
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