Xbox Smart Delivery Explained: How It Works & All Xbox Series X Optimized Games

As we approach the beginning of a new console generation, there are a couple of new terms Microsoft is using alongside the Xbox Series X. These are Xbox Smart Delivery, and Optimized for Xbox Series X|S. But what do these mean? What’s the difference? And exactly what games are confirmed for each? In this guide, we’ll explain the difference between the two, and have listed the games that’ll support each of these features below.

What Is Xbox Smart Delivery?

Xbox Smart Delivery ensures that players are getting the right version of the game they want to play, no matter which Xbox you’re playing on. This can be particularly helpful around the Holiday season, given some games are releasing for Xbox One, Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X. It avoids confusion, basically!

What Is Optimized for Xbox Series X|S?

Optimized for Xbox Series X|S allows games currently on the Xbox One to be optimized for the Xbox Series X and Series S. For the most part, the games we’ve listed down below will have these optimizations made available as free updates. In some cases, however, like Control, you’ll need to pay for the Ultimate Edition in order to get the optimizations.

What do these optimizations entail? Some developers are aiming to increase the FPS (Frames Per Second) up to 120, while others are aiming for a native 4K resolution, or a combination of the two!

What’s worth pointing out is that a game getting optimized for Xbox Series X doesn’t necessarily mean it supports Xbox Smart Delivery.

Down below, you’ll find a list of all the games confirmed to be getting optimized for Xbox Series X, and further down, a list of those confirmed for Xbox Smart Delivery. There is some crossover between the two lists, as you might expect.

Every Xbox One Game Getting Optimized for Xbox Series X Confirmed So Far

• As Dusk Falls
• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
• Avowed
• Balan Wonderworld
• Borderlands 3
• Bright Memory: Infinite
• Call of the Sea
• Chivalry 2
• Chorus
• Control
• CrossfireX
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Dead By Daylight
• Destiny 2
• DIRT 5
• Echo Generations
• Everwild
• ExoMecha
• Fable 4
• Far Cry 6
• FIFA 21
• Forza Horizon 4
• Forza Motorsport
• Gears 5
• Gears Tactics
• Grounded
• Halo Infinite
• Hello Neighbor 2
• Hitman 3
• Immortals Fenyx Rising
• Madden NFL 21
• Marvel’s Avengers
• Metal: Hellslinger
• NBA 2K21
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps
• Outriders
• Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis
• Pragmata
• Psychonauts 2
• Resident Evil VIII
• Scarlet Nexus
• Scorn
• Sea of Thieves
• Second Extinction
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
• Stalker 2
• State of Decay 3
• Tetris Effect: Connected
• The Ascent
• The Elder Scrolls Online
• The Gunk
• The Medium
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
• Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
• Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
• Watch Dogs Legion
• WRC 9
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon

All Confirmed Xbox Smart Delivery Games

These are the games currently confirmed to support Xbox Smart Delivery, as stated on the official Xbox page.

• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
• Balan Wonderworld
• Call of the Sea
• Chorus
• CrossfireX
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Destiny 2
• DIRT 5
• Echo Generation
• ExoMecha
• Far Cry 6
• Forza Motorsport
• Gears 5
• Grounded
• Halo Infinite
• Hello Neighbor 2
• Marvel’s Avengers
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps
• Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis
• Psychonauts 2
• Scarlet Nexus
• Second Extinction
• Tetris Effect: Connected
• The Ascent
• The Gunk
• Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
• Watch Dogs: Legion
• WRC 9
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon

How to Get Optimized for Xbox Series X|S Updates?

This will likely change depending on whether or not you’ve got a physical or digital copy of the game that supports Xbox Series X|S optimization.

If you’ve got a digital copy of a game, when installed on your Xbox Series X or Series S, the game should automatically download and apply the optimization update.

For those with a physical copy of the game, you’ll need to insert the disc into your Xbox Series console. Let the update download and then you’ll be good to go.

As we noted earlier, some developers are choosing not to release these updates for free. Control, for example, requires players to buy the Ultimate Edition of the game to get these Xbox Series X enhancements.

There you have the complete Which games are you most looking forward to checking out on your new Xbox Series X with Smart Delivery optimization? Join the conversation and let us know down in the comments below.