Sunday, April 25, 2021
Smoother, faster, cleaner.
With a new generation of consoles comes new hardware capabilities. One of the exciting new features of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S is the ability to run games at 120 FPS, providing a smoother experience than previous generations that capped out at 60 FPS. We've tracked down all the games so far that support 120 FPS, even if it's only in certain game modes or resolutions. Here's the complete list of Xbox Series X and S games with 120 FPS support — that we know of so far.
With the power of Xbox FPS Boost, even older Xbox games can experience higher framerates, even up to 120 FPS! This means the list of Xbox Series X|S that can push all the way to 120 FPS will grow even faster with favorite games from the last generation of consoles.
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Why is 120 FPS support important in games on Xbox Series X|S?
Gaming on a console can be an excellent way to experience the broad world of video games, but consoles have historically lagged far behind powerful gaming PCs for sheer power. Next-gen consoles like Xbox Series X|S and the PS5 begin to unravel these precedents by officially ushering in hardware support for up to 120 FPS in select games. But what does this mean?
Simply put, running games at a higher framerate allows for more animation detail, reduces input lag, and generally allows for a better gaming experience. For games that require or benefit from faster reaction times, a higher framerate can be the difference between victory and success.
You can see these benefits in action thanks to the video above, which shows the incredible Xbox platformer Ori and the Will of the Wisps running on the Xbox Series X in 120 FPS, and even shows a side-by-side comparison of the game slowed down at both 120 FPS and 60FPS.
120 FPS support is still limited on Xbox Series X|S, and it does come with some caveats like downgraded resolution, lesser visual fidelity, 120 FPS being restricted to certain modes, differences between Xbox Series X and S, and specific hardware requirements like a high-end TV with HDMI 2.0 or 2.1. Still, 120 FPS support in console gaming is, well, a game-changer for a lot of players who seek the fastest performance they can.
List of games that support 120 FPS on Xbox Series X|S
| Game | Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S | Optimized / FPS Boost | Free upgrade / Smart Delivery | Upgrade release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battlefield 4 | Yes | Yes | FPS Boost | Backward compatible | April 22, 2021 |
| Battlefield 1 | Yes | No | FPS Boost | Backward compatible | April 22, 2021 |
| Battlefield V | Yes | No | FPS Boost | Backward compatible | April 22, 2021 |
| Borderlands 3 | Yes, 1080p | No | Optimized | Smart Delivery | November 16, 2020 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War | Yes, ~1200p | No | Optimized | Paid upgrade | November 13, 2020 |
| Call of Duty: Warzone | Yes, 4K | Yes, 1080p | No | Free upgrade | November 10, 2020 |
| CrossCode | Yes, 4K | Unknown | Optimized | Smart Delivery | November, 2020 |
| Destiny 2 | Yes, 4K | No | Optimized | Smart Delivery | December 8, 2020 |
| Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition | Yes, 1080p | No | Optimized | Next-gen exclusive | November 10, 2020 |
| Dirt 5 | Yes, ~1440p | Yes, ~1080p | Optimized | Smart Delivery | November 10, 2020 |
| ExoMecha | Yes, ~4K | Unknown | Optimized | Unknown | 2021 |
| Fortnite | Yes, 1440p | Yes, 1080p | Optimized | Smart Delivery | November 10, 2020 |
| Gears 5 | Yes, 4K | Yes, 1080p | Optimized | Smart Delivery | November 10, 2020 |
| Halo Infinite | Yes | Unknown | Optimized | Smart Delivery | 2021 |
| Halo: The Master Chief Collection | Yes, 4K | Yes, 1080p | Optimized | Smart Delivery | November 17, 2020 |
| JYDGE | Yes, 4K | Unknown | Optimized | Smart Delivery | November, 2020 |
| King Oddball | Yes, 4K | Unknown | Optimized | Smart Delivery | November 10, 2020 |
| Metal: Hellsinger | Yes, 1080p | Unknown | Optimized | Smart Delivery | 2021 |
| Minecraft Dungeons | Yes, 4K | No | Optimized | Smart Delivery | February 24, 2021 |
| Mirror's Edge Catalyst | Yes | No | FPS Boost | Backward compatible | April 22, 2021 |
| Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom | Yes, 4K | Unknown | Optimized | Free upgrade | Unknown |
| New Super Lucky's Tale | Yes | Yes | FPS Boost | Backward compatible | February 17, 2021 |
| Ori and the Will of the Wisps | Yes, 4K | Yes, 1080p | Optimized | Smart Delivery | November 10, 2020 |
| Orphan of the Machine | Yes, 4K | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Overwatch | Yes, 1440p | Yes, 1080p | No | Free upgrade | March 9, 2021 |
| Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare | Yes | Yes | FPS Boost | Backward compatible | April 22, 2021 |
| Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 | Yes | Yes | FPS Boost | Backward compatible | April 22, 2021 |
| Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville | Yes | Yes | FPS Boost | Backward compatible | April 22, 2021 |
| Rainbow Six Siege | Yes, 4K | Yes, 1080p | Optimized | Smart Delivery | December 1, 2020 |
| Rocket League | Yes, 1512p | Yes, 756p | Optimized | Smart Delivery | November 10, 2020 |
| Rogue Company | Yes, 4K | Yes, 1440p | Optimized | Smart Delivery | November 25, 2020 |
| Samurai Shodown | Yes | Yes | Optimized | Smart Delivery | March 16, 2021 |
| Sea of Thieves | Yes, 1080p | No | Optimized | Smart Delivery | January 28, 2021 |
| Second Extinction | Yes | Unknown | Optimized | Smart Delivery | April 28, 2021 |
| Star Wars Battlefront | Yes | Yes | FPS Boost | Backward compatible | April 22, 2021 |
| Star Wars Battlefront II | Yes | No | FPS Boost | Backward compatible | April 22, 2021 |
| Star Wars: Squadrons | Yes, 4K | Yes, 1440p | Optimized | Smart Delivery | November 26, 2020 |
| The Falconeer | Yes, 1800p | Yes, 1080p | Optimized | Smart Delivery | November 10, 2020 |
| The Touryst | Yes, 4K | Yes | Optimized | Smart Delivery | November 10, 2020 |
| Titanfall | Yes | No | FPS Boost | Backward compatible | April 22, 2021 |
| Titanfall 2 | Yes | Yes | FPS Boost | Backward compatible | April 22, 2021 |
| Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 | Yes, 1080p | No | Optimized | Paid upgrade | March 26, 2021 |
| Unravel 2 | Yes | Yes | FPS Boost | Backward compatible | April 22, 2021 |
| Zombie Army 4: Dead War | Yes, 1080p | No | Optimized | Free upgrade | April 8, 2021 |
Will more games add 120 FPS support on Xbox Series X|S?
The list of games that support up to 120 FPS on Xbox Series X and S is pretty paltry in the grand scheme of things. The list of games that support 120 FPS on PS5 is considerably smaller. However, it's the beginning of a new generation of console gaming, and it'll take a while for 120 FPS support to feel like a standard feature rather than an occasional extra.
Still, the list of 120 FPS games on Xbox Series X|S has already grown considerably since the consoles' launch. Older games are becoming Xbox Series X|S Optimized with 120 FPS support, new games are beginning to launch on next-gen consoles, and Microsoft is even taking it into their own hands to bestow 120 FPS support on older Xbox games with the power of FPS Boost.
FPS Boost, especially, is an innovative feature applied to a select few backward compatible games to double or even quadruple their framerates. This is an evolution of the Heutchy method first used on Xbox One X and promises to make our favorite older games run the best on Xbox Series X and S. A small handful of titles support FPS Boost right now, and that number will continue to grow as time goes on.
Will more games add 120 FPS support to Xbox Series X|S? It's almost certainly a yes.
How do I take advantage of 120 FPS support in games on Xbox Series X|S?
It's clear that 120 FPS support in games can be a huge benefit, especially for competitive or challenging games that beg for fast response times and fluidity. However, it's not immediately clear how to obtain 120 FPS even in supported games. It turns out it's slightly more complicated than it would immediately appear. In this section, I'll go over the three things you need to keep in mind to take advantage of 120 FPS support in games. Choose your console, choose your TV, and choose your game. Let's get started.
Xbox Series X vs. Xbox Series S
When you're faced with two equally amazing choices, it can seem difficult to pit the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S against each other. However, there are some key differences between the two consoles that can make all the difference depending on what you're looking for, especially for playing games at 120 FPS.
The biggest difference between the games is simply price. The flagship Xbox Series X retails for $500, while the smaller Xbox Series S retails for a much more palatable $300. Both consoles are impressively performant as next-gen consoles, but that $200 price discrepancy brings with it some crucial compromises in the Xbox Series S.
The Xbox Series X is the ultimate next-gen gaming console, right alongside the sleek PS5, and boasts the full suite of advanced next-gen gaming features like powerful hardware, a lightning-fast SSD, real-time ray tracing support, and so much more. It also has an integrated 4K Blu-ray player to play your physical games. Its superior GPU means it plays games at higher resolutions than the Xbox Series S and is more capable of pushing games to 120 FPS.
On the other hand, the Xbox Series S still includes all the next-gen features that make these consoles so exciting, like the SSD and real-time ray tracing support. However, the Xbox Series S sacrifices its physical disc drive (it's digital-only) and a decent amount of GPU power. This means it targets a lower resolution than the Xbox Series X (1440p versus 4K) and struggles more to play games at 120 FPS.
What does this mean? If you want the best gaming experience possible and the largest number of games playable at 120 FPS, no console is better than the Xbox Series X. Meanwhile, the Xbox Series S is still an absolute beast that can play next-gen games at a lower price than the competition — you'll just have to give up resolution and support for 120 FPS games in some instances. Check the chart above to see which games are 120 FPS on Xbox Series S versus Xbox Series X if you need help deciding which console is best for you.
Both consoles are hard to find right now, so be sure to keep an eye on Windows Central, especially on Twitter, for updates on where to find the Xbox Series X and S whenever they do pop up.
Ultimate performance
Xbox Series X
$500 at Microsoft $500 at Amazon $500 at Best Buy
120 FPS all the things!
The Xbox Series X is the pinnacle of Microsoft's next-gen console gaming vision and incorporates powerful hardware that can push games to their max. If you want the ultimate gaming experience or want to play a larger number of games at 120 FPS, the Xbox Series X is for you.
Affordable next-gen
Xbox Series S
$300 at Microsoft $300 at Amazon $300 at Best Buy
120 FPS with caveats.
The Xbox Series S is a fantastic true next-gen console for those who don't want to shell out the cash for the more larger and more powerful Xbox Series X. If you're okay with missing out on 120 FPS support in some games or losing out on resolution in exchange for saving a lot of money, the Xbox Series S is for you.
Picking the right TV
Arguably even more important for 120 FPS gaming than choosing which next-gen Xbox to get is your TV. A console can only go as far as its TV will let it, and 120 FPS gaming requires brand-new TV technologies currently only found in a select few TVs.
Of course, we have a comprehensive list and guide of the best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X|S, which breaks down everything you could need to know. If you need something smaller or more compact, there are also the best monitors for Xbox Series X|S to consider.
Here's a quick rundown of what you should look for in a TV to experience 120 FPS gaming on Xbox Series X|S.
TV features like picture quality, resolution, display type, HDR support, and more can all make huge differences when it comes to gaming on your Xbox Series X|S. However, playing games at 120 FPS requires a specific set of features in particular: a 120hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.0 or HDMI 2.1 support.
A TV's (or monitor's) refresh rate refers to how quickly that screen is able to refresh the content on the display. Put simply: the faster the refresh rate, the smoother the picture. TVs that have 120hz refresh rates can be paired with the Xbox Series X|S for ultra-smooth 120 FPS gaming. However, most TVs typically cap out at 60hz.
Just as important as a TVs refresh rate, though, is its HDMI ports, which connect your Xbox Series X|S to your TV. In order to experience 120 FPS gaming, you'll need at least HDMI 2.0 support. However, this slightly older standard (still pretty new in TVs) can only do 120 FPS at a 1080p resolution. Perfect for the Xbox Series S, but an unfortunate restriction on the Xbox Series X. To truly get the most out of the Xbox Series X and 120 FPS gaming, you'll want a TV that pairs a 120hz refresh rate with HDMI 2.1 support.
Here are three quick picks for awesome TVs that support 120 FPS gaming on Xbox Series X|S.
Perfect picture
LG CX Series OLED
$1,350 at Amazon $1,400 at Best Buy $1,400 at Walmart
A near-perfect TV for gaming.
Not only is the LG OLED series of TVs some of the best TVs for gaming, but they're also just some of the best TVs, period. If you want the best of the best, look no further than the LG CX. Proper HDMI 2.1 support for 4K and 120 FPS gaming, Dolby Vision HDR, and some of the most outstanding picture quality in TVs makes the LG CX OLED the perfect pair for your Xbox Series X|S.
Great gaming
Sony X900H
$998 at Amazon $1,000 at Best Buy $998 at Walmart
Mid-range greatness.
The Sony X900H can't compare to the LG CX, but it still offers great features like HDR and HDMI 2.1 ports for true 4K at 120 FPS gaming while costing hundreds of dollars less. It doesn't include every next-gen feature the Xbox Series X|S can take advantage of, but if you want the best of next-gen gaming without shelling out a premium for a flagship TV, the Sony X900H is a fantastic mid-range choice.
Best budget
LG NanoCell 85
$797 at Amazon $800 at Best Buy $797 at Walmart
Next-gen gaming at a discount.
This LG TV is a long way from the super expensive and premium LG CX, but it still manages to offer true 4K at 120 FPS gaming for Xbox Series X|S with the inclusion of a handful of HDMI 2.1 ports and a high refresh rate display. You'll compromise on image and HDR quality, but the LG NanoCell 85 series is a wonderful budget choice for those who still want next-gen features.
Finding the games
Finally, the last step to experience the wonders of 120 FPS on Xbox Series X|S comes down to, well, the games that support it! The list of games that support 120 FPS on Xbox Series X|S, which you can find above, continues to grow over time. Some of these games rank among the best Xbox games around!
What you may not realize, however, is just how many of these games are actually included in Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate! Microsoft's revolutionary gaming subscription service includes access to hundreds of games, and many of the titles that now support 120 FPS on Xbox Series X|S stand among them.
Here are all of the games that support 120 FPS on Xbox Series X|S that are currently on Xbox Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate:
- Battlefield 4: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate / EA Play
- Battlefield 1: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate / EA Play
- Battlefield V: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate / EA Play
- CrossCode: Xbox Game Pass
- Destiny 2: Xbox Game Pass
- Dirt 5: Xbox Game Pass
- Gears 5: Xbox Game Pass
- Halo: The Master Chief Collection: Xbox Game Pass
- Minecraft Dungeons: Xbox Game Pass
- Mirror's Edge Catalyst: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate / EA Play
- New Super Lucky's Tale: Xbox Game Pass
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps: Xbox Game Pass
- Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate / EA Play
- Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate / EA Play
- Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate / EA Play
- Rainbow Six Siege: Xbox Game Pass
- Sea of Thieves: Xbox Game Pass
- Star Wars Battlefront: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate / EA Play
- Star Wars Battlefront II: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate / EA Play
- The Falconeer: Xbox Game Pass
- The Touryst: Xbox Game Pass
- Titanfall: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate / EA Play
- Titanfall 2: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate / EA Play
- Unravel 2: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate / EA Play
- Zombie Army 4: Dead War: Xbox Game Pass
A catalog of games
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
From $1/month at Microsoft $45 at Amazon (3-month subscription) $15 at Amazon (1-month subscription)
All your gaming needs, in one subscription.
Is the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate the best value in all of gaming? It's possible. Ultimate bundles your Xbox Live Gold subscription, an Xbox Game Pass subscription for both Xbox consoles and Windows PCs, and Xbox Cloud Gaming for on-the-go. That means access to hundreds of games, with more added all the time, for a single monthly subscription cost.
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