Xbox FPS Boost games list for Xbox Series X & Series S

Microsoft doubled down on backward compatibility with the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, bringing forward Xbox One, Xbox 360, and original Xbox titles to its latest consoles. 

The company is no stranger to flexing its engineering know-how through its backward-compatibility program, with various features devoted to preserving titles across new systems. FPS Boost is the latest, bringing huge performance upgrades to existing titles, often doubling framerates with a simple toggle.

Here's what you need to know about Xbox's FPS Boost feature, plus which titles support it.

What is Xbox FPS Boost?

With the arrival of Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, Microsoft debuted FPS Boost, a new system-level feature designed to bolster performance across backward-compatible titles. This trickery alters how games play with no developer input or code changes, unbinding titles from their previous locked framerates. Whereas one title may have targeted 30 frames per second (FPS) on Xbox One consoles, FPS Boost tweaks it to run at 60 FPS on Xbox Series X and Series S consoles.

Next-generation Xbox hardware has seen games targeting higher framerates than ever before, with titles frequently hitting 60 FPS and 120 FPS. The higher the framerate, the more frames outputted to your display each second, resulting in more fluid and responsive gameplay. But refreshing the outputted image more frequently asks more from the system, pushing intensive titles to compromise with lower framerates.

While the Xbox One X hoped to deliver 4K resolution at 60 FPS, later years would expose several hardware limitations, with many graphically demanding releases settling at just 30 FPS. These games would be "locked" at fixed framerates in software, meaning they won't see improvements on Xbox Series X and Series S under normal conditions.

FPS Boost delivers a fast and easy way to bring higher framerates to existing Xbox One games on next-generation hardware without the additional development resources required for a formal Xbox Series X|S Optimized patch. It makes older titles automatically run smoother on the new systems, delivering a massive upgrade over standard backward compatibility. It's even expanding the list of Xbox Series X|S games with 120 FPS support.

Higher frames means better performance, smoother gameplay and less input lag. Despite not increasing the number of pixels on the screen, a higher framerate can be more pleasant to look at simply because there's less judder and blur.

What is Xbox FPS Boost?

Microsoft launched Xbox FPS Boost in March 2021, starting with a small initial wave of titles, and since expanded with regular new additions. The feature has since picked up support from top publishers like Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Bethesda, and Square Enix, enhancing several top experiences from the Xbox One generation. With little work from game developers, expect more FPS Boost titles to hit Xbox Series X and Series S over the months ahead. 

The largest expansion of the feature brought over 70 new games with FPS Boost support, with Dark Souls III the most recent standalone addition. The latest addition to the service debuted during the Xbox 20th anniversary show, bringing original Xbox and Xbox 360 games to Xbox FPS Boost for the first time.

With Microsoft winding down the Xbox backward compatibility program following the final additions in November 2021, we wouldn't expect to see any more games added to this list moving forward.

Below follows the complete list of Xbox Series X/S FPS Boost titles so far, coupled with their target framerates when the feature is enabled. Several titles, which may see degraded visuals with FPS Boost enabled, also have the feature disabled by default. The optional support can be manually enabled in system settings, as detailed below.

Xbox FPS Boost: List of games

How to use Xbox FPS Boost on Xbox Series X|S

FPS Boost hit Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S with the Xbox March Update in 2021, included with official updates for both consoles. It's ready to go as a system-level feature and automatically kicks in when playing many supported titles. Using FPS Boost requires no game updates or additional work from players.

With most FPS Boost games, support automatically kicks in when starting a game on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S devices. Almost every game with FPS Boost upgrades works with the best Xbox console, Xbox Series X, although just a small minority of titles lack Xbox Series S support. You can check whether FPS mode is enabled via the following steps.

1. Navigate to My games & apps on your Xbox console.
2. Move your cursor to an FPS boost-compatible game.
3. Press the Menu button.
4. Select Manage game and add-ons.
5. Select the Compatibility options tile.
6. Check the FPS Boost box to enable FPS Boost.

Some titles with FPS Boost support may also supply these upgrades only on Xbox Series X systems, leaving their Xbox Series S counterparts upgrade-free. Check the complete list of FPS Boost titles above for a per-game breakdown.

When FPS Boost is active with compatible titles, your Xbox console will display an FPS Boost icon through the Xbox Guide menu. Pressing the Xbox button to open the Guide will display the FPS BOOST signifier in the top right-hand corner of the screen, adjacent to the Auto HDR icon, if active.

For most titles, FPS Boost will deliver immediate upgrades no matter your setup. However, with titles leveraging the feature to achieve 120 FPS, it's crucial to ensure your screen matches the criteria. While 60Hz refresh rates have been long the norm for TVs, the 120Hz refresh rate demanded by 120 FPS titles requires a specialist display. Furthermore, 4K resolution at 120Hz demands the latest 4K TV tech, including the all-new HDMI 2.1 connector, which supports this high-bandwidth output. It's reserved for the best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and Series S, although new options are steadily hitting the market.

Does FPS Boost impact graphics?

Microsoft debuted FPS Boost as a seamless upgrade on Xbox Series X and Series S, and in most cases, it's a free performance boost with no negative impact on visuals. However, FPS Boost can potentially impact overall visual quality compared to the stock, unmodified game. This impacts Xbox Series X, although all Xbox Series S games remain unaffected.

The caveat ties back to Xbox One X Enhanced titles, upgraded for Microsoft's first 4K Xbox console released in 2017. The device brought a massive GPU upgrade over the standard Xbox One, and subsequent games leveraged this hardware, essentially using raw power to achieve a higher 4K resolution.

These games, now seeing FPS Boost improvements, can in many cases deliver 4K resolution with 60 FPS or 120 FPS upgrades. However, some games cannot provide a smooth 4K 60 FPS via backward compatibility, with Microsoft instead hampering the visual quality to achieve a higher framerate.

These FPS Boost-enabled titles lose their Xbox One X enhancements when on Xbox Series X, delivering their high framerates at the settings of standard Xbox One consoles. It can result in a lower resolution, worse effects, and overall muddied presentation versus the title with Xbox FPS Boost disabled. Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 are among those impacted by this tradeoff.

Thankfully, Microsoft makes FPS Boost entirely optional so that you can choose between 4K visuals or a slick 60 FPS.

How to disable Xbox FPS Boost on Xbox Series X|S

Microsoft claims to extensively test every title with FPS Boost support, which should mean all the benefits with minor drawbacks on the system. But FPS Boost does have the potential to impact visuals in some cases, and if you encounter issues, Microsoft has included a toggle in the Xbox OS. It's quick and easy to disable the feature on a per-game basis, which returns the game to its original state.

1. Navigate to My games & apps on your Xbox console.
2. Move your cursor to an FPS boost-compatible game.
3. Press the Menu button.
4. Select Manage game and add-ons.
5. Select the Compatibility options tile.
6. Uncheck the FPS Boost box to disable FPS Boost.

To enable FPS Boost, follow the steps and re-check the FPS Boost check box.

Will Xbox Series X|S get Resolution Boost?

FPS Boost is the latest Xbox backward-compatibility enhancement, modernizing games with framerates fit for the current generation. It stems from ongoing efforts to upgrade existing titles for the newest Xbox consoles, without touching game code, previously including 4K upgrades for Xbox 360 and original Xbox experience. And while Microsoft hasn't announced a "Resolution Boost"-style feature for Xbox Series X and Series S, it appears a likely addition, given a previous tease from Microsoft.

"The compatibility team has invented brand-new techniques that enable even more titles to run at higher resolutions and image quality while still respecting the artistic intent and vision of the original creators," said Jason Ronald, director of program management for Xbox Series X in August 2020. "We are also creating whole new classes of innovations including the ability to double the frame rate of a select set of titles from 30 FPS to 60 FPS or 60 FPS to 120 FPS."

While FPS Boost brings the ability to "double the frame rate" of existing Xbox One games, we're yet to see the equivalent upgrades to resolutions and image quality. While we don't have a timeline, it appears to be on the cards for the future.

Xbox FPS Boost joins a number of features joining the Xbox backward-compatibility list, designed to enhance and upgrade classics into the next generation. Let us know which games you hope to see with FPS Boost next in the comments section.

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