Xbox Series X frame rate in question as Microsoft passes the buck to developers
Confusion reigns about what frame rates gamers can actually expect on the next-gen Xbox Series X console when it releases later this year – and the answer may disappoint you.
We’ve heard much about the high-end capabilities of the hardware in the past few months, with talk of a benchmark of 4K/60fps gameplay and a new upper ceiling of 4K/120fps – or even a very unlikely 8K/60fps.
But new information concerning one of the first flagship Xbox Series X games has put that into question, with Ubisoft only able to promise 30fps gameplay for its upcoming title, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which will come to both Xbox One X and its next-gen successor.
Speaking to The Verge’s Tom Warren, Microsoft seemingly confirmed that the 60fps standard wouldn’t necessarily be common across Xbox Series X games, stating that, “Ultimately, it is up to individual developers to determine how they leverage the power and speed of Xbox Series X.”
General Manager at Aaron Greenberg responded in a tweet of his own, adding that higher frame rates were in reach of devs, but wouldn’t necessarily be taken advantage of.
Developers always have flexibility in how they use the power, so a standard or common 60fps is not a mandate.May 12, 2020
It’s not all bad news, though, as signs still point to Microsoft’s first-party Halo Infinite running at the higher 60fps benchmark, with a job listing for a Lead Graphics Developer at 343 Industries specifically citing “stunning 60 Hz 4k graphics.” For third-party games, though, even franchises as massive as Assassin’s Creed, it appears to be a different story for now.
Things stay the same
We’ve talked about our disappointment regarding Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s low bar, and how it pales in comparison to the kinds of frame rates that PC gamers have been able to enjoy for years now.
This confirmation from Microsoft, though, really hits home that the specs being used to sell a next-gen console to us aren’t going to be widely in use from the off. We’d expect to see more of this further down the console generation, as devs get more confident with the new tools available to them – and we probably shouldn’t look to a cross-gen game like Valhalla as a showcase for everything a next-gen console can go.
But the question of when (and if) to upgrade to the Xbox Series X – or, presumably, the PS5 – gets a lot murkier when the higher frame rates these consoles are technically capable of won’t be realistically achieved for a good while yet.
Confusion reigns about what frame rates gamers can actually expect on the next-gen Xbox Series X console when it releases later this year – and the answer may disappoint you. We’ve heard much about the high-end capabilities of the hardware in the past few months, with talk of a benchmark…
Recent Posts
- 30TB hard drives will finally become mainstream next year — Japanese rival to Seagate and Western Digital reveals plans to launch two 30TB+ HDDs in 2025 using two different technologies
- Quordle today – hints and answers for Sunday, May 19 (game #846)
- Blue Origin’s first crewed launch since 2022: Where to watch
- This modder proves everything’s better with a GBA SP screen attached
- Mobile industry is quietly preparing for the biggest change to your smartphone in a decade — iSIM will hasten the end of SIM cards and allow networks to preload plans on devices
Archives
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- December 2011