Gaming

All Optimised for Xbox Series X|S games at launch

10 November, 2020

“Next Generation” is a big term with huge connotations. Players assume all things next-gen must be incredibly shiny and resource heavy, while developers suddenly have a big new platform to build their games for. Whenever new generations arrive, people become confused and big marketing terms are thrown around in order to garner hype. As 2020 comes to a close, the Next Generation of console gaming has finally arrived and, rater appropriately, so have the questions that usually surround a generational leap. Microsoft’s powerful new Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S spearhead the new console generation, and with them comes a bunch of Optimised for Xbox Series X|S titles to enjoy.

Having rolled out globally on 10 November 2020, the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are the consoles spearheading the next generation ganging promising huge leaps in graphical fidelity and never-before-seen loading times. Microsoft’s trump card in the new generation, however, is the absolutely massive library of backward compatible games. Never before has a console launched with a library of thousands of video games — and if Microsoft’s vision for the future becomes mainstream, every Xbox console will always have access to games within unique ecosystem. This is thanks in large part how Microsoft has embraced backwards compatibility. There are hundreds of Original Xbox titles and thousands of Xbox 360 titles already available on Xbox One; with the launch of Xbox Series X|S, all of those titles and every single game playable on Xbox One will also be playable on the new systems. This incredible feat notwithstanding, there are a number of titles that have already been updated with enhancements specifically for the Next Generation!

These optimised titles, suitably labelled with “Optimised for Xbox Series X|S”, aim to help gamers enter the Next Generation with a bang. Most of these titles draw from the immense horsepower, and bountiful speeds offered by the new console hardware. Obviously, all Optimised for Xbox Series X|S games come with enhancements only capable with new hardware. These can include, but are not limited to, boosted resolutions, unlocked and/or upgraded framerates, High-Dynamic Range (HDR) support, and even support for enhanced lighting and reflections thanks to ray tracing! At launch, however, it could be daunting to figure out which of these titles will showcase the full breadth of the new consoles (only future games will really showcase what these new machines are capable of, but it is nice that optimisations are even happening for older titles). As such, we have compiled a list of all Optimised for Xbox Series X|S games at launch.

Game Resolution	High Dynamic Range (HDR)	Frames Per Second (FPS)	Raytracing	Smart Delivery
ARK: Survival Evolved 4K on Xbox Series X	N/A	30 FPS to 60 FPS	N/A	Yes
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla 4K on Xbox Series X 1440p on Xbox Series S	Yes	60 FPS on Xbox Series X 30 FPS on Xbox Series S	No	Yes
Borderlands 3 4K on Xbox Series X	Yes	60 FPS	No	Yes
Bright Memory 1.0 4K on Xbox Series X 1440p on Xbox Series S	N/A	60 FPS	N/A	N/A
Cuisine Royale 4K on Xbox Series X 1440p on Xbox Series S	N/A	60 FPS	Yes	Yes
Dead by Daylight 4K on Xbox Series X 1080p on Xbox Series S	No	60 FPS	No	No
Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition 1080p – 4K on Xbox Series X	Yes	30 FPS – 120 FPS	Xbox Series X Only	No Standalone purchase
Dirt 5 4K on Xbox Series X 1440p on Xbox Series S	Yes	60 FPS – 120 FPS	N/A	Yes
Enlisted 4K on Xbox Series X 1440p on Xbox Series S	N/A	60 FPS	Yes	N/A
Evergate 4K on Xbox Series X	N/A	60 FPS	No	N/A
The Falconeer 1800p – 4K on Xbox Series X 1080p – 1800p on Xbox Series S	Yes	60 FPS – 120 FPS	No	Yes
Fortnite 4K on Xbox Series X 1080p on Xbox Series S	Yes	60 FPS	No	Yes
Forza Horizon 4 4K on Xbox Series X 1080p on Xbox Series S	Yes	60 FPS	No	Yes
Gears 5 4K on Xbox Series X 1080p on Xbox Series S	Yes	60 FPS – 120 FPS	Yes	Yes
Gears Tactics 4K on Xbox Series X 1080p on Xbox Series S	Yes	60 FPS	No	Yes
Grounded 4K on Xbox Series X 1080p on Xbox Series S	Yes	60 FPS	No	Yes
King Oddball 4K on Xbox Series X	No	120 FPS	No	Yes
Maneater 4K on Xbox Series X	N/A	60 FPS	Yes	Yes
Manifold Garden 4K on Xbox Series X 1440p on Xbox Series S	No	60 FPS	No	Yes
NBA 2K21 4K on Xbox Series X 1440p on Xbox Series S	Yes	N/A	Yes	No DLC Purchase
Observer: System redux 4K on Xbox Series X 1440p on Xbox Series S	Yes	60 FPS	Yes	No
Ori and the Will of the Wisps 4K – 6K Supersampled on Xbox Series X 1440p – 4K Supersampled on Xbox Series S	Yes	60 FPS – 120 FPS	No	Yes
Planet Coaster 4K on Xbox Series X	Yes	N/A	No	Yes
Sea of Thieves 4K on Xbox Series X 1080p on Xbox Series S	Yes	60 FPS	No	Yes
Tetris Effect: Connected 4K on Xbox Series X 1440p on Xbox Series S	Yes	60 FPS	No	Yes
The Touryst 4K on Xbox Series X 4K supersampled on Xbox Series S	No	120 FPS	No	Yes
War Thunder 4K on Xbox Series X	N/A	60 FPS	Yes	Yes
Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition 4K on Xbox Series X 1440p on Xbox Series S	N/A	30 FPS – 60 FPS	N/A	Yes
Watch Dogs Legion 4K on Xbox Series X 1080p on Xbox Series S	Yes	30 FPS	Yes	Yes
WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship 4K on Xbox Series X 1440p on Xbox Series S	N/A	30 FPS – 60 FPS	N/A	Yes
Yakuza: Like a Dragon 1440p – 4K on Xbox Series X 900p – 1440p on Xbox Series S	No	30 FPS – 60 FPS	No	Yes

The list is truly immense! the crowning achievement here, however, is that these titles are only those that are available right at launch. There are already hundreds more, from a combination of backwards compatible games and new games still releasing in the next couple of years that are still in the works. Upcoming titles with confirmed optimisations include Cyberpunk 2077, Forza Motorsport 7, and even Control. The wonderful aspect of the Optimised for Xbox Series X|S label is that it is genuinely easy for new console owners to jump into the action and push their consoles to the limits. Which titles will you be playing at launch? Let us know!

Sources: Xbox (official site), Xbox Wire

Edward Swardt

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Junior Editor at Vamers. From Superman to Ironman; Bill Rizer to Sam Fisher and everything in-between, Edward loves it all. He is a Bachelor of Arts student and English Major specialising in Language and Literature. He is an avid writer and casual social networker with a flare for all things tech related.