Image: Bethesda
While its reception from gamers and critics has been divisive, there’s no denying that Starfield is one of the biggest games of the year. And one of the biggest controversies of the year is that it launched as an AMD showcase, choosing FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) upscaling over Nvidia’s proprietary DLSS. While Nvidia gamers have been able to use the open standard since launch, they’re about to get access to DLSS with the latest update to the PC version of the game — including DLSS 3 Frame Generation.
According to a Twitter Xitter X post from developer Bethesda, the next beta release of Starfield will hit Steam next week (second week of November), with native support for Nvidia DLSS in tow. The update will come using Steam’s beta system, which allows all players to opt-in to the latest version of the game. Other planned improvements will include HDR controls for compatible monitors and laptops, as noted by PC Gamer. A specific date and time for the update was not provided, but they did say an upgrade from AMD FSR2 to the newer and more advanced FSR3 was planned for the future.
As with other Bethesda RPGs, modders wasted no time improving the PC version of the game, adding in DLSS capabilities almost as soon as it was released. But the nature of Nvidia’s system means that each individual game benefits from Nvidia’s massive number-crunching data centers “training” on its specific graphical elements, so the official version of DLSS should far surpass the performance of user-made mods.
It’s worth noting that AMD has maintained that its partnership with developers requires them to prioritize inclusion for its technology, like FSR, but does not prevent developers from also supporting rival tech like Nvidia’s DLSS and Intel’s XeSS. It seems that Bethesda’s addition of official DLSS support for Nvidia hardware bears this out, whether or not Starfield’s creators were spurred on by the initial public outcry.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer
Michael is a former graphic designer who’s been building and tweaking desktop computers for longer than he cares to admit. His interests include folk music, football, science fiction, and salsa verde, in no particular order.