In case you hadn't heard, Rust Console Edition is getting a new version for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S on June 26th, and its Xbox One counterpart will be shutting down in October (it's already been delisted on Xbox too).
When the news was first announced, we weren't sure whether existing Rust Console Edition players would get access to the Xbox Series X|S version as a free upgrade, but that is indeed the case! The team says that if you search for your version of Rust on the Xbox Store featuring "S|X" at the end, it should show up as a "free" purchase.
"Depending on which version you own on the old generation, you should see the message "You own this" on the matching version of the new gen. For example, if you own the Base version, you will automatically receive the Base version of the new gen, and the same goes for the Deluxe and Ultimate editions. You will get the new gen version for free that corresponds to what you already own."
Alternatively, there are some great offers for upgrading to the Deluxe and Ultimate versions of Rust if you're interested. In particular, members of the Rust Reddit community have been praising the low upgrade fee for the Deluxe bundle, which also includes seven days' worth of early access (playable from June 19th).
The only major issue you might run into with Rust's Xbox Series X|S upgrade is if you own the physical version, which apparently isn't showing the discounts as intended - although work is underway to get this fixed ASAP.
For those who have never played Rust before and are interested in jumping in, the prices start at £39.99 / $49.99 for the base version. Most of the improvements between the old and current-gen releases haven't really been detailed in full, but you can check out 30 minutes of footage at the bottom of this article which looks pretty amazing!