“Optimized for Xbox Series X” Games and Specs Explained by Microsoft

Microsoft has released some new details about the “Optimized for Series X” badge you’ve seen on several next-gen game trailers in the last few months. In an Xbox Wire blog post, Microsoft explained that the tag is being used for games that have been “either natively designed or fully rebuilt” for the Xbox Series X.

“Optimized for Series X” games will “showcase anything from virtually eliminating load times via the Xbox Velocity Architecture, heightened visuals and hardware-accelerated DirectX raytracing powered by our custom, next-generation GPU, to steadier and often higher framerates up to 120 fps.”

Games being built natively for the Xbox Series X include the console’s flagship title, Halo Infinite, while games like Gears 5 have been enhanced to “to dramatically leverage the power and features Xbox Series X has to offer.”

The company also released a short teaser showing off some of the other games that have been optimized for Xbox Series X, including Assassins’ Creed Valhalla, Chorus, and Bright Memory Infinite.

Games optimized for Xbox Series will “deliver higher, steadier framerates, with a performance target of 60 frames per second at 4K resolution. Some games will even be able to support framerates up to 120 fps or variable refresh rates, allowing developers to offer players heightened realism and more precise controls for fast-paced action.”

DiRT 5 is one of the games that will allow Xbox users to play the game at 120 fps. Developer Codemasters promised that players “will experience the strongest sense of speed and responsiveness at the highest frame rate.”

Microsoft confirmed that Call of the Sea will support 4K resolution and ray-tracing on the Xbox Series X, while Gears 5 will showcase the perks of the console’s powerful SSD. The publisher said that Gears 5 will load four times faster on the Xbox Series X.

Xbox released a list of the Optimized for Xbox Series X games announced so far:

• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
• Bright Memory Infinite
• Call of the Sea 
• Chivalry 2
• Chorus 
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Destiny 2 
• DiRT 5 
• FIFA 21
• Gears 5
• Halo Infinite
• Hitman 3
• Madden NFL 21
• Marvel’s Avengers
• Outriders
• Scarlet Nexus 
• Scorn
• Second Extinction 
• The Ascent 
• The Medium
• Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon 

It’s important to note that this isn’t a complete list of games that will be Optimized for Xbox Series X. We’ll update this article as more games are announced. Microsoft also recently outlined the games that will take advantage of the console’s Smart Delivery system, which allows players to transfer select games and their progress on the Xbox One to the next-gen console.

The Xbox Series X is currently scheduled to be released this holiday.