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Microsoft has provided a deeper explanation of its Optimized for Xbox Series X tag, explaining that games badged this way will have been specifically built for the next-gen console, with a variety of benefits.
In a new Xbox Wire blog post, it's explained that games with the Optimized for Series X badge have to have been "either natively designed or fully rebuilt" for Xbox Series X. Brand new games built natively include Halo: Infinite and Assassin's Creed Valhalla, while enhanced games include Gears 5.
IGN's Bo Moore spoke to one of Xbox Series X's lead engineers, Jason Ronald about the definition of the term, which you can watch below:
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/25/what-optimized-for-xbox-series-x-really-means-according-to-microsoft"]
The post breaks down a series of benefits to Optimized games, comprising raytracing, a performance target of 60 frames per second at 4K resolution (rising to 120 FPS in some games), and 'virtually eliminated' loading times.
However, Jason Ronald makes clear that these are not a "features checklist" that must be met to earn an Optimized badge. "We don't dictate game design," he explained. The badge can be earned, "as long as they're designing the game and building the game on the Xbox Series X development platform, and really tailoring it to take advantage of it."
DiRT 5 will be one of the games able to take advantage of a 120 FPS frame rate, with David Springate from Codemasters making clear that it's including an option to toggle between 60 and 120 frames per second (presumably with a loss of resolution at the higher rate).
Meanwhile, adventure game Call of the Sea will be able to support a 4K resolution as well as raytracing to help bring its island setting to life. As mentioned previously, the new console's SSD and Velocity Architecture allow Gears 5 to load four times faster on Series X than on Xbox One.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/25/xbox-series-x-official-optimized-for-xbox-series-x-trailer"]
Full List of Optimized for Xbox Series X Games
Xbox has provided a full list of Optimized Series X games, which you can see below. However, this list is evolving due to the number of new games not yet announced:- 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