FPS Boost takes Xbox Series X/S Backwards compatibility to the next level

Microsoft’s taking backwards compatibility to a whole new level with Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, revealing “FPS Boost”, a compatibility mode which can be used to increase the framerates of supported games to new heights without any developer intervention. 

Microsoft’s FPS Boost initiative is starting small, though it will be expanded to cover more games over time, just like their prior backwards compatibility initiatives. Starting today, Xbox Series consoles will boost the framerates of Far Cry 4, Sniper Elite 4, Watch Dogs 2, UFC 4 and Super Lucky’s Tale. 

Super Lucky’s Tale can have its framerates boosted as high as 120 FPS on Xbox Series systems. In comparison, UFC 4 can be boosted to 60 FPS on Xbox Series S. Xbox users can choose whether to turn FPS boost on, as some gamers may want to play their games using their original framerate caps. 

Microsoft uses the enhanced hardware capabilities of their Xbox Series consoles to deliver better gameplay experiences on last-generation titles. Microsoft plans to reveal more FPS Boost titles soon, which means that Xbox gamers will have even more reasons to explore their back catalogues or the last-generation titles available through Xbox Game Pass. 

    As we detailed in October, with the increased CPU, GPU and memory from our new consoles, all of your existing games look and play better. With certain titles, we can make the experience even better, all with no work required by the developer, and no update needed by the gamer. To that end, the backward compatibility team has developed FPS Boost, which employs a variety of new methods for nearly doubling (and in a few instances, quadrupling) the original framerate on select titles.

Higher, steadier framerates make games visually smoother, resulting in more immersive gameplay. We partnered closely with developers to enhance the experience while maintaining the game’s original intent. And while not applicable to all games, these new techniques can push game engines to render more quickly for a buttery smooth experience beyond what the original game might have delivered due to the capabilities of the hardware at the time.