This is the thread to discuss Dolby Atmos as it relates to video games, both setup and gameplay -- subscribe! Please, no movie talk.
The thread to discuss Atmos for home theater (movies) is here:
The official Dolby Atmos thread (home theater version)
NOTE: The current state of bitstreaming Atmos on Xbox One and Series X/S has Atmos mode always-on, regardless of the source having Atmos or not (exceptions: playing video content via disc - DVD or Blu-ray, or non-game apps that support bitstream passthrough). This always-on setting will upmix non-Atmos games ala Dolby Surround with the height channels active. This is not the case with Atmos on PC.
What games feature Dolby Atmos?
What is Dolby Atmos?
According to Dolby Laboratories: "A leap forward from surround sound, Dolby Atmos creates a full atmosphere of sound all around you in three-dimensional space, even overhead."
What game systems include Dolby Atmos?
Xbox One (original, S and X models), Xbox Series X/S, and Windows 10 PC
What do I need to experience Dolby Atmos in my games?
Dolby Surround, informally "DSU" (Dolby Surround Upmixer), is Dolby's way of utilizing the height channels when playing back non-Atmos material, from stereo to 7.1, on an Atmos setup. This is sometimes referred to as "fake Atmos". Xbox will apply Dolby Surround upmixing to the front height channels (5.1.2 or 7.1.2) internally for non-Atmos games when the Xbox is bitstreaming Atmos. If four height channel upmixing is desired (5.1.4 or 7.1.4), turn off bitstreaming Atmos from the Xbox audio settings (uncompressed 5 or 7 channels, bitstream Dolby Digital or DTS) and apply upmixing (Dolby Surround or DTS: Neural X) via the AVR.
DTS Neural X, sometimes called DTS-X, does a similar height channel upmix with the same equipment. This upmix can be applied via the AVR when the Xbox is not bitstreaming Atmos. DTS is a competitor of Dolby.
Why does my AVR display "Atmos" all the time while playing games when the Xbox is set to bitstream Atmos, even for games that don't have an Atmos mix?
The current state of bitstreaming Atmos puts the Xbox in Atmos mode for all games, regardless of the mix.* If the game has an Atmos mix (see list above), all the Atmos channels will pass through unaffected. If the game doesn't have an Atmos mix, the Xbox will upmix the height channels, ala "Dolby Surround".
*The exception to Atmos always-on mode is during playback of video content from a DVD or Blu-ray disc, which uses a different bitstreaming mode via a separate Xbox setting.
**What about Dolby Atmos for Headphones?
Info for a separate thread.
Please reply any updates or clarifications needed for this OP - thanks!
The thread to discuss Atmos for home theater (movies) is here:
The official Dolby Atmos thread (home theater version)
NOTE: The current state of bitstreaming Atmos on Xbox One and Series X/S has Atmos mode always-on, regardless of the source having Atmos or not (exceptions: playing video content via disc - DVD or Blu-ray, or non-game apps that support bitstream passthrough). This always-on setting will upmix non-Atmos games ala Dolby Surround with the height channels active. This is not the case with Atmos on PC.
What games feature Dolby Atmos?
- Assassins Creed Origins (Xbox)
- Battlefield 1 (PC)
- Borderlands 3 (Xbox, PC)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (Xbox, PC)
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) (Xbox, PC)
- Call Of Duty Vanguard (Xbox, PC)
- Call of Duty: Warzone (Xbox, PC)
- Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (Xbox, non-Dolby spacial audio triggers Atmos)
- Cyberpunk 2077 (Xbox, PC)
Crackdown 3- Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition (Xbox)
- Dirt 5 (Xbox,
PCno apparent Atmos in PC version despite Dolby claim) - F1 2020
- F1 2021
- Fast & Furious Crossroads (Xbox)
- Final Fantasy XV (Xbox, PC)
- For Honor (Xbox)
- Forza Horizon 4 (Xbox, PC)
- Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox, PC)
- Gears of War 4 (Xbox)
- Gears 5 (Xbox, PC)
- Grid (Xbox, PC)
- Grid Legends (Xbox)
- Grounded (Xbox, PC)
- Halo Infinite (Xbox, PC)
- Immortals Fenyx Rising (Xbox, PC)
- Inertial Drift (Xbox, PC)
- Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (Xbox, PC)
- Metro Exodus (Xbox, PC)
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (Xbox, PC)
- NFS Heat (Xbox, PC)
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Xbox, PC)
- Overwatch (for headphones, Xbox, PC)
- A Plague Tale: Requiem (Xbox, PC)
- Resident Evil 2 (Xbox, PC)
- Resident Evil 3 (Xbox, PC)
- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Xbox, PC)
- Resident Evil Village (Xbox, PC)
- Rise of the Tomb Raider (Xbox, X model only)
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider (PC, Xbox)
- Star Wars: Battlefront (PC)
- Super Lucky's Tale (Xbox, PC)
- Tiny Tina's Wonderlands (Xbox, PC)
- Tom Clancy's The Division® 2 (Xbox, PC)
What is Dolby Atmos?
According to Dolby Laboratories: "A leap forward from surround sound, Dolby Atmos creates a full atmosphere of sound all around you in three-dimensional space, even overhead."
What game systems include Dolby Atmos?
Xbox One (original, S and X models), Xbox Series X/S, and Windows 10 PC
What do I need to experience Dolby Atmos in my games?
- An Xbox One (including X and S models), Series X/S, or Windows 10 PC
- A game that features Atmos (see above for a list)
- The Dolby Access app installed, available here
- Audio output of console/PC set to bitstream "Dolby Atmos for Home Theater" NOTE: optical output on Xbox is disabled with this setting.
- Connection to an Atmos-enabled AVR receiver* (details), soundbar, or TV -- all via HDMI, or **headphones.
- *For AVR connection, a 5.1/7.1 (or multi-subwoofer) speaker setup with front left and right channels that include either built-in or add-on upward firing effects channels reflecting off the front ceiling, or alternately front ceiling mounted speakers. This adds ".2" to the end of the setup prefix - for example, a 5.1.2 would indicate five main channels, one subwoofer, and two front height channels. Optional: rear channels with built-in or add-on upward firing effects channels reflecting off the rear ceiling, or alternately rear ceiling mounted speakers. This would add ".4" to the setup prefix, for example 7.2.4 would be seven main channels, two subwoofers, and four height channels.
Dolby Surround, informally "DSU" (Dolby Surround Upmixer), is Dolby's way of utilizing the height channels when playing back non-Atmos material, from stereo to 7.1, on an Atmos setup. This is sometimes referred to as "fake Atmos". Xbox will apply Dolby Surround upmixing to the front height channels (5.1.2 or 7.1.2) internally for non-Atmos games when the Xbox is bitstreaming Atmos. If four height channel upmixing is desired (5.1.4 or 7.1.4), turn off bitstreaming Atmos from the Xbox audio settings (uncompressed 5 or 7 channels, bitstream Dolby Digital or DTS) and apply upmixing (Dolby Surround or DTS: Neural X) via the AVR.
DTS Neural X, sometimes called DTS-X, does a similar height channel upmix with the same equipment. This upmix can be applied via the AVR when the Xbox is not bitstreaming Atmos. DTS is a competitor of Dolby.
Why does my AVR display "Atmos" all the time while playing games when the Xbox is set to bitstream Atmos, even for games that don't have an Atmos mix?
The current state of bitstreaming Atmos puts the Xbox in Atmos mode for all games, regardless of the mix.* If the game has an Atmos mix (see list above), all the Atmos channels will pass through unaffected. If the game doesn't have an Atmos mix, the Xbox will upmix the height channels, ala "Dolby Surround".
*The exception to Atmos always-on mode is during playback of video content from a DVD or Blu-ray disc, which uses a different bitstreaming mode via a separate Xbox setting.
**What about Dolby Atmos for Headphones?
Info for a separate thread.
Please reply any updates or clarifications needed for this OP - thanks!