Looking for your next first-person shooter title that’s ready for the Series X? This fast-paced genre sees some of the most benefits from frame-rate improvements and smoother, faster loading times, so Series X optimization is one of the best features to look for! We’re running down the top titles to try for your next shooting adventure or multiplayer obsession with the Xbox Series X — take a look!
Further reading
Call of Duty: Vanguard
The next CoD isn’t out quite yet, but it’s already looking like one of the best of this generation, with the latest tech to take advantage of everything the Series X can do. Taking place in WWII, Vanguard focuses on more unique locations like the Pacific Theater, Africa campaigns, and much more. If you want to stay at the forefront of shooters, Vanguard is the game to watch for. It’s fully released on November 5, 2021, and the open beta period has already passed, so you’ll have to wait a bit right now. The good news is that Vanguard supports both cross-progression and cross-platform play, so it should be no trouble finding a party.
Halo Infinite
A series of delays couldn’t keep Halo Infinite down, and now the game is set for a final release date of December 8, 2021. You can trust that Microsoft has made sure Halo Infinite is optimized for the Series X, so expect a smoother frame rate and better graphics than ever before, including support for 4K, HDR10, Dolby Atmos, and more. This Halo also supports a more open-world map concept that allows for a greater amount of exploration and more dynamic missions. When multiplayer finally arrives, you can bet it’s going to be worth the wait — there’s even console keyboard and mouse support include for this very purpose, so get ready to get competitive.
Call of Duty: Warzone
Oh, we aren’t done with CoD yet: If you really don’t want to wait for Vanguard and are looking for an excellent CoD experience to share with your friends, we highly recommend Warzone. It’s somewhere between popular battle royale games like Apex Legends and traditional CoD gameplay, with a combat arena that can hold up to 20 players. The support for 120 fps will work well with a high-quality TV and the Series X, too. Best of all, the game is free to download, so you don’t lose anything by trying it out.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Did you love Black Ops? Then you absolutely need to play Cold War, which is a direct sequel to the first game and includes all the things players loved, including large 40-player PvP modes and zombie mode. It’s also a great pick for those who enjoy the CoD stories and look forward to spending some time with the campaign. On the other hand, if you haven’t played the first yet, it may be time to pick it up first.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Optimized for Series X and ready to go, Rainbow Six Siege is focused on 5v5 action with a long list of different “operators” to choose from, each with their own tools and loadouts depending on what you prefer to play. Find the abilities you like best, from traps and drones to infrared vision and more. It’s a great pick if you like the idea of multiplayers like Overwatch, but prefer games with more realistic shooting experiences. Rainbow Six Siege continues to be updated with new operators and events, although it does have a credits system you’ll need to use if you want to purchase lots of add-ons or cosmetics.
Splitgate
Splitgate is a unique, free-to-play FPS that’s a perfect choice if you really want to try something new and don’t know what to look for next. The multiplayer shooter is all about creating and using portals. The goal is to master portal use for all kinds of trick shots, evasive moves, perfect grenade throws, and much more. It generally rewards innovation and constantly improving skills, with both casual and competitive options for gameplay. The downside is that there’s no campaign to speak of, and no news if there will be any updates beyond the current 20 maps.
Doom Eternal
It’s a very good thing that Doom Eternal is optimized for the Series X, because it’s a blast to play and even more fun with graphics and frame-rate improvements. The phrase “mindless fun” applies to a lot of Doom’s blast-away gameplay, but it’s not all mindless — you have to master the flow of killing and ripping apart enemies to harvest more health and energy: Don’t stop fighting if you want to survive. Mastering an increasing roster of weapons is also a challenge of its own. If you haven’t played before, note that between blasting demons, Eternal has a bit more platforming than many of the other picks on our list.
Destiny 2
Destiny 2 is optimized for Series X — and beyond the graphics boost that will make it more fun than ever to jump, soar, cast, shoot, and smash, the Series X also helps with the game’s loading times, which can get a little depressing on older, slower systems. There’s a ton to do in Destiny 2 if you haven’t played yet, so make sure you grab a buddy to help fill in the details and explain all the space magic, or make friends with others in the Tower. You’ll also want to prepare for the Witch Queen expansion when it arrives early next year!
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