Games that are just begging for Xbox Series X upgrades

Now that the Xbox Series X is here, a lot of gamers are playing big-name titles at 4K and 60 frames-per-second for the very first time. It is both transformative and glorious, but while playing newer games at higher resolutions and frame rates is nice, we’d love to see some past classics updated, too.

This wouldn’t be trivial. The team behind a particular game would have to go back, make some tweaks, and do some testing to ensure the game still runs suitably while targeting higher performance. Still, we still think there’s some upside for developers and publishers who want to draw attention to pieces of their back catalogue.

Without further ado, here are some games that are just begging for Xbox Series X upgrades.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

What better way to kick things off than with a title that is arguably the best Star Wars project of the past decade? Jedi Fallen Order is already very pretty running on an Xbox Series X in performance mode. If Respawn went back and bumped the resolution up to a true 4K, it could very well turn into one of the best-looking games on the platform.

The Tomb Raider reboot franchise

The last two Tomb Raider titles — Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow — very presciently added performance modes that now allow them both to run at a fairly stable 60 FPS on the Xbox Series X. Things are still a bit fuzzy, though. A nice resolution bump up to 4K (or something close to it) would make these games real standouts on the Series X. And while we’re at it, why not upgrade Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, too? That one could really use some love.

Outer Wilds

This is one I will plead for until my dying day. Outer Wilds has a lot of fans for good reason. It runs at a gorgeous 4K on the Xbox One X. What it’s missing, though, is a higher frame rate to really elevate the experience to the next level. If it could have that, it would go from a very good Xbox One game to a can’t-miss Xbox Series X game.

Assassin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey

Ubisoft proved with this year’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla that AC games are absolutely capable of hitting a stable 60 FPS with higher resolutions. It would be great if the same love could be shown, retroactively, to the last two open-world Assassin’s Creed games: Origins and Odyssey. Can you imagine playing these with them looking as Valhalla does now? Mind = blown.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Ever since this game made its way to PC, I’ve had a whole lot of envy for those who got to experience Red Dead Redemption 2 for the very first time at its best. Why can’t Xbox Series X owners have that same joy? I think RDR2 could absolutely hit 60 frames-per-second on the console — perhaps not at a full 4K, but at a higher dynamic resolution. Rockstar, if you’re listening, please make this happen.

Quantum Break

Looking back, you can definitely see a lot of Quantum Break‘s DNA in Control. Wouldn’t it be great to see this one — so often overlooked — with an Xbox Series X upgrade and a new lease on life? I think such an update would be a game-changer for this one, which ran at sub-1080p resolutions on the base Xbox One and couldn’t hit a full 4K on the Series X. If we ask Remedy nicely, maybe it’ll work something out with Microsoft.

Sunset Overdrive

This upgrade may fall squarely on the shoulders of Microsoft, as Insomniac Games was acquired by Sony back in 2019. Still, we can dream, right? Microsoft has talked up its backward compatibility tech, including the ability to get games running at higher resolutions and frame rates. Perhaps it can make some magic happen for Sunset Overdrive, an oft-overlooked title that remains one of the Xbox One’s best.

Dragon Age: Inquisition

With a new Dragon Age in the works, now seems like a great time for EA to go back and remind people that Dragon Age: Inquisition won Game of the Year in 2014. A boost to both the graphics and the frame rate would do wonders for it, though we have to admit — this is EA we’re talking about. It would sooner release a separate updated retail SKU than offer current Inquisition owners an update for free.

The Gears of War franchise

Folks, it is time for a Marcus Fenix Collection. A compilation of all the Gears titles, brought forward, rendered in stunning 4K, all running at 60 FPS. In the Xbox Series X, we finally have a machine capable of making this a reality. The file size would be enormous, but to see the entire Gears collection running at its best would be totally worth it.

The Fable franchise

Just as it is high time for a Marcus Fenix Collection, it is also time for a Fable Collection. With Playground Games now working on a new entry in the series, what better way to get players caught up on what Fable is than to upgrade all the past titles and get them running at peak performance? I know I would personally binge all three Fable games if such a collection came out. I can’t be alone in that.

Final Fantasy 15

Since it looks like Final Fantasy fans on Xbox won’t be seeing Final Fantasy 16 for a while, why not make the best of the situation? Final Fantasy 15‘s performance mode can now hit a fairly solid 60 FPS on the Xbox Series X. The visuals could really use a bump, though, so Square Enix — if it is feeling generous — could put this on the list of upgrades and ensure the game lives on well into the future.

ReCore

ReCore was pretty disappointing when it dropped back in 2016 — I will be the first to admit that. Over time, though, the game got more fleshed out thanks to some updates, including Xbox One X enhancements that brought 4K visuals. Right now, it is still a middle-of-the-road 3D action game/Metroidvania. With improvements to the frame rate, though — crucial for such a fast-paced title — I think a lot of players would give it a second look.