Xbox Series X|S FPS Boost: Every game and how it works

Microsoft's latest and greatest consoles elevate these classics with FPS Boost.

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 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.

List of Xbox Series X/S FPS Boost games

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.

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.

Game	Boosted framerate (FPS)	Automatically enabled
Alien Isolation	60 FPS	Yes
Anthem	60 FPS (Series X Only)	No
Assassin's Creed III Remastered	60 FPS	No
Assassin's Creed III Rogue Remastered	60 FPS	Yes
Assassin's Creed The Ezio Collection	60 FPS	Yes
Assassin's Creed Unity	60 FPS	Yes
Battle Chasers: Nightwar	120 FPS	Yes
Battlefield 1	120 FPS (Series X Only)	No
Battlefield 4	120 FPS	Yes
Battlefield Hardline	120 FPS	Yes
Battlefield V	120 FPS (Series X Only)	No
Beholder Complete Edition	60 FPS	Yes
Dark Souls III	60 FPS	Yes
Dead Island Definitive Edition	60 FPS (Series X Only)	Yes
Dead Island: Riptide Definitive Edition	60 FPS (Series X Only)	Yes
Deus Ex Mankind Divided	60 FPS	Yes
DiRT 4	120 FPS (Series X Only)	Yes
Dishonored: Death of the Outsider	60 FPS	No
Dishonored: Definitive Edition	60 FPS	Yes
Don't Starve: Giant Edition	120 FPS	Yes
Dragon Age: Inquisition	60 FPS	Yes
Dungeon Defenders II	60 FPS	Yes
Dying Light	60 FPS (Series X Only)	Yes
Fallout 4	60 FPS	No
Fallout 76	60 FPS	No
Far Cry 4	60 FPS	Yes
Far Cry 5	60 FPS	No
Far Cry New Dawn	60 FPS	No
Far Cry Primal	60 FPS	Yes
Gears of War 4	60 FPS	No
Golf with your Friends	120 FPS	Yes
Halo Wars 2	60 FPS	Yes
Halo: Spartan Assault	120 FPS	Yes
Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition	120 FPS	Yes
Homefront: The Revolution	60 FPS	No
Hyperscape	120 FPS	No
Island Saver	120 FPS	Yes
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham	60 FPS	Yes
LEGO Jurassic World	60 FPS	Yes
LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2	60 FPS	Yes
LEGO Marvel Superheroes	120 FPS (Series X), 60 FPS (Series S)	Yes
LEGO Marvel's Avengers	120 FPS (Series X), 60 FPS (Series S)	Yes
LEGO STAR WARS: The Force Awakens	60 FPS	Yes
LEGO The Hobbit	120 FPS (Series X), 60 FPS (Series S)	Yes
LEGO The Incredibles	60 FPS	Yes
LEGO Worlds	60 FPS (Series X Only)	Yes
Life is Strange	60 FPS	Yes
Life is Strange 2	60 FPS (Series X Only)	Yes
Lords of the Fallen	60 FPS	Yes
Mad Max	120 FPS (Series X) 60 FPS (Series S)	Yes
Metro 2033 Redux	120 FPS	Yes
Metro Last Light Redux	120 FPS	Yes
Mirror's Edge Catalyst	120 FPS (Series X Only)	Yes
Monster Energy Supercross 3	60 FPS	No
MotoGP 20	60 FPS (Series S Only)	Yes
Moving Out	120 FPS	Yes
My Friend Pedro	120 FPS	Yes
My Time at Portia	60 FPS	Yes
New Super Lucky's Tale	120 FPS	Yes
Overcooked! 2	120 FPS	Yes
Paladins	120 FPS	Yes
Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2	120 FPS	Yes
Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare	120 FPS	Yes
Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville	120 FPS	No
Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid	120 FPS	Yes
Prey	60 FPS	Yes
Realm Royale	120 FPS	Yes
ReCore	60 FPS	Yes
Sea of Solitude	60 FPS	Yes
Shadow of the Tomb Raider Definitive Edition	60 FPS	Yes
Shadow Warrior 2	60 FPS (Series X Only)	Yes
Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition	60 FPS	Yes
SMITE	120 FPS	No
Sniper Elite 4	60 FPS	Yes
STAR WARS Battlefront	120 FPS	Yes
STAR WARS Battlefront II	120 FPS (Series X Only)	No
STEEP	60 FPS (Series S Only)	Yes
Super Lucky's Tale	120 FPS	Yes
SUPERHOT	120 FPS	Yes
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition	60 FPS	Yes
The Evil Within 2	60 FPS	No
The Gardens Between	120 FPS (Series X), 60 FPS (Series S)	Yes
The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame	60 FPS	Yes
The LEGO Movie Videogame	120 FPS	Yes
Titanfall	120 FPS (Series X Only)	Yes
Titanfall 2	120 FPS	No
Tom Clancy's The Division	60 FPS	Yes
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition	60 FPS	Yes
Totally Reliable Delivery Service	120 FPS	Yes
Two Point Hospital	60 FPS	Yes
UFC 4	60 FPS	Yes
Unravel 2	120 FPS	No
Unruly Heroes	120 FPS	Yes
Untitled Goose Game	120 FPS	Yes
Wasteland 3	60 FPS	No
Watch Dogs	60 FPS	Yes
Watch Dogs 2	60 FPS	Yes
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life	60 FPS	Yes

Future FPS Boost-enabled titles for Xbox Series X and Series S will be added to this list once announced.

How to use FPS Boost on Xbox Series X and Series 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 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.

Is Xbox 'Resolution Boost' coming to Xbox Series X and Series S?

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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