Starfield’s Bet on FSR 2 Hinders Game’s Potential
Bethesda’s upcoming game Starfield has been praised for its stability, lack of bugs, and optimization for a wide range of hardware. However, the game’s heavy reliance on AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution 2 (FSR 2) has left some players disappointed, especially those with less powerful hardware, as they are forced to choose between performance and image quality.
In recent news, AMD announced that it is the exclusive PC partner for Starfield, confirming that the game will support FSR 2 at launch. While FSR 2 offers significant performance improvements, some concerns were raised regarding its exclusivity. There were speculations that AMD’s partnership would prevent Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) from being included in the game on PC. However, AMD clarified that it did not block DLSS and that Bethesda Game Studios is free to implement the feature if desired.
The absence of DLSS and Intel’s XeSS in Starfield is problematic because FSR 2 falls short in terms of image quality compared to DLSS. A comparison between FSR 2 and DLSS in games like Diablo 4 and Hogwarts Legacy clearly demonstrates the superior image quality of DLSS when pushed to its limits.
Starfield’s reliance on FSR 2 becomes apparent when examining its graphics presets, all of which have FSR 2 enabled by default. Even with high-end GPUs like the RTX 3080, FSR 2 is necessary to maintain a solid 60fps in demanding areas of the game. This raises concerns for players with lower-end GPUs, as FSR 2 can be the difference between playable and unplayable.
Furthermore, the lower graphics presets in Starfield suffer from a loss of detail and excessive aliasing due to FSR 2’s struggles to handle a 50% internal render resolution. This issue persists even at 1080p, where the High preset still shows significant loss of detail. While designing games around upscaling features is not inherently problematic, it is crucial to support multiple upscaling options to cater to a wider range of hardware.
Starfield’s exclusive reliance on FSR 2 also presents an issue for Nvidia GPU users who are unable to utilize DLSS. According to the latest Steam hardware survey, 38% of players have a graphics card capable of utilizing DLSS in their systems. This means a significant portion of the PC market is unable to experience the game at its best.
It is important to note that these concerns are not meant to criticize AMD but rather highlight the need for comprehensive support for various upscaling features. Games like Remnant 2, which also rely on upscaling features, offer support for both DLSS and FSR. For a game as ambitious as Starfield, it is reasonable to expect the same level of attention to detail.
In conclusion, Starfield’s heavy dependence on FSR 2 limits the game’s potential and forces players to compromise between performance and image quality. The lack of support for DLSS and other upscaling options restricts a significant portion of the PC market from experiencing the game at its best. While FSR 2 is undoubtedly a remarkable piece of technology, it is crucial for developers to consider broader compatibility and support for multiple upscaling features in order to provide the best possible gaming experience.
