The Xbox Series X launched with quite a few games built specifically for the system in mind, allowing them to take advantage of things like ray-tracing and 120 frames per second. However, there were many other, older Xbox games that weren't necessarily built specifically for the Xbox Series X. Instead these games received updates that better optimized them for the new console, allowing them to take advantage of some of its next-generation features.
Microsoft labels both games that are made for Xbox Series X as well as those that have been given updates as optimized for Xbox Series X. This means that some Xbox One and Xbox Series X games are officially categorized as Optimized for Xbox Series X, taking advantage of the next-generation console's various features. However, it may be difficult to keep track of which games have been optimized and which games have not, especially since it takes into account both Series X and Xbox One games.
For Xbox fans curious to know which Xbox Series X games are optimized for the console, here is the full list. Fans can find this information through their Xbox Series X consoles as well, as games that have been optimized are marked with an Xbox Series X optimization label.
- ARK: Survival Evolved
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla
- Borderlands 3
- Bridge Constructor: The Walking Dead
- Bright Memory
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
- Call of the Sea
- Concept Destruction
- Crimsonland
- CrossCode
- Dead by Daylight: Special Edition
- Destiny 2
- Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition
- Dirt 5
- Enlisted
- Evergate
- FIFA 21
- Fights in Tight Spaces
- Football Manager 2021: Xbox Edition
- Fortnite
- Forza Horizon 4
- Freddy Spaghetti
- Gears 5
- Gears Tactics
- Gonner2
- Grounded
- Halo: The Master Chief Collection
- Haven
- Immortals Fenyx Rising
- Just Dance 2021
- JYDGE
- Kid Tripp
- King Oddball
- Madden NFL 21
- Maneater
- Manifold Garden
- Morkredd
- Mortal Kombat 11
- NBA 2K21
- Neon Chrome Overseer Edition
- No Man's Sky
- Observer: System Redux
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps
- Outbreak
- Overcooked: All You Can Eat
- Override 2: Super Mech League
- Planet Coaster: Console Edition
- Poker Club
- Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
- Rogue Company
- Sea of Thieves
- Sparkle 2
- Star Wars: Squadrons
- State of Decay 2
- Tesla Force
- Tetris Effect: Connected
- The Falconeer
- The Touryst
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
- Twin Robots: Ultimate Edition
- Undead Horde
- Warhammer Chaosbane: Slayer Edition
- Warhammer: Vermintide 2
- Watch Dogs: Legion
- We Happy Few
- WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon
- Yes, Your Grace
It's worth pointing out that not all Xbox Series X Optimized games enjoy the same benefits. Some of these games feature ray tracing and 120 frames per second, whereas others may not feature ray tracing and only have the frame rate boost. Others still may only support a 60 frames per second rate. Regardless, all of the games on this list will have a noticeable boost of some kind when played on Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S hardware.
In future, more games will be added to the Optimized for Xbox Series X lineup. This will include all new Xbox Series X games, as well as some older Xbox One games. However, it seems likely that developers will eventually stop releasing Xbox Series X optimization updates for older games, instead preferring to focus on newer titles. Until then, though, fans can expect the list to continue growing.