"Common 60FPS is not a mandate" on Xbox Series X, says Microsoft

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The standard frames-per-second output for Xbox Series X just got more confusing

(Image credit: Deep Silver)

A Microsoft representative has clarified why Xbox Series X "standard output" is not 60 frames-per-second.

Following up with a Tweet in which he stated that 60 frames-per-second will be the "standard output" on Xbox Series X, Xbox Games Marketing head Aaron Greenberg explained that this threshold is not a mandate for developers working with the hardware, so we shouldn't expect all games to necessarily meet it. 

In a statement made to The Verge, Microsoft also said that 60 frames per second is not the "standard output" for Xbox Series X, since "it is up to individual developers to determine how they leverage the power and speed of Xbox Series X.” We've also reached out to Microsoft for comment and will update this story if we hear back from them. 

In better news, the Xbox Series X can support up to 120 frames per second, should a developer so decide that its game demands that super fast frame rate. Like Greenberg says, it's ultimately up to the studios, and not Microsoft, where the average framerate will lie on Xbox Series X. 

If all this sounds confusing, just know that Microsoft plans to keep us all entertained with a splurge of next-gen news every month, as part of its newly revealed Xbox 20/20 campaign. If we're lucky, we'll soon get to see the likes of Halo Infinite, Watch Dogs Legion, and more running on the box, allaying any concerns about framerate performance for the future of video games. 

For more, check out the full list of upcoming Xbox Series X games here, or find out everything we know about Assassin's Creed Valhalla. 

Alex Avard
Alex Avard
Former Features Writer

Alex is a former Features Writer at GamesRadar+, which once made him responsible for gracing the internet with as many of my words as possible, including reviews, previews, interviews, and more. Lucky internet!