Here's What "Optimized For Xbox Series X" Means For Games

With the Xbox Series X, Microsoft is going to be making very clear which games on its platform are making the most of its hardware with the "Optimized for Series X" label. What that means is support for features like ray-tracing, frame rates up to 120 FPS, and near-instant loading times, as explained in the latest Xbox blog post.

These three pillars make up the principle direction of optimization for the new Xbox, some of which stem off of the DirectX 12 Ultimate support. Having been released for PC hardware recently, DirectX 12 Ultimate further enhances the ability to deliver better visual fidelity, as well as better supported for hardware-powered ray-tracing. These enable developers to create more physically accurate worlds, especially when it comes to lighting.

With more powerful hardware also comes the possibility to produce games that support higher frame rates, something which has been a talking point during this current generation. Although it will also rely on the ability of your display to support it, Series X optimized games can support up to 120 FPS, with Dirt 5 being one of the first to confirm support for it specifically.

One facet that won't require any other hardware to shine is the speed afforded to games by the new SSD in the Xbox Series X, as well as technology Xbox is calling its Velocity Architecture. With a custom SSD and custom hardware supporting it, Series X optimized games will be able to stream assets in much faster than before, allowing for more instantaneous transitions between in-game worlds and a large reduction in loading times.

The benefit here is that with Microsoft's commitment to backwards compatibility and free upgrades to older titles, Series X Optimized labels won't just be appearing on Xbox Series X targeted games like Halo Infinite. Xbox One titles such as Gears 5, will also see improvements without any additional purchases necessary. You can see the full list of currently announced Series X Optimized games below, and see some in action in the trailer above.

Optimized For Xbox Series X Games

• 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