PlayStation developers reveal how the PS5 Pro will help them achieve their goals
We already knew that upgraded PlayStation 5 Pro games would get a special label, but a new post on the PlayStation Blog has given us more insight into the ways developers are harnessing the power of the upcoming PS5 Pro to enhance their games.
The blog postThe official update, which was released alongside a trailer showcasing some PS5 Pro-compatible games during last night’s State of Play livestream, features a variety of quotes from 14 studios about the upcoming console. They range from first-party Sony studios to third-party teams, and should give us a good idea of what to expect when the console launches.
These are the main conclusions.
Improved first-party performance
As you might expect, a range of performance improvements are coming to first-party games. Mike Fitzgerald, core technology director at Insomniac games, confirmed that Marvel’s Spider-Man remastered, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, And Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will all be able to hit 60 fps at 4K in “a new standard Performance Pro mode.”
Updates are also released for The Last of Us Part 1 And The Last of Us Part 2 remastered according to Naughty Dog. These offer 4K via PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) upscaling that “maintains the 60fps target, offering an ideal balance between framerate and resolution.”
Interestingly, the original Performance and Fidelity modes are still an option in these games, but they will run smoother than before.
Jan-Bart van Beek, studio director and art director at Guerrilla Games, outlined the major push that is coming Horizon Forbidden WestThe existing quality mode can run at 60fps, plus benefit from “improvements to shadows, depth of field, skin and hair shaders, clouds, god rays, and more” thanks to the system’s increased rendering power.
The recently unveiled Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered will also launch with native PS5 Pro support.
Finally, Gran Turismo 7 is getting some love. The game, which was “already capable of rendering in native 4K” according to developer Polyphony Digital lead programmer Shuichi Takano, will feature “more detail and higher image quality than ever before” on PS5 Pro.
Part of this will be thanks to the addition of ray tracing, “which was previously impossible” on the base PS5. This will allow for more realistic car surfaces, increasing immersion in races. The game will also support 8K output at 60fps for those with particularly high-end displays, though this is currently only “experimental.” There’s also no word on whether the 8K resolution originally advertised on the base PS5’s box will be available in many other PS5 Pro titles.
Boosted third-party titles
Naoki Hamaguchi, Director at Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Developer Square Enix has revealed that the game will feature a “new Enhanced Mode specifically designed for the PS5 Pro (which) combines the features of the existing Performance Mode and Graphics Mode.” This mode will run at 60fps and utilize PSSR upscaling to achieve high resolution.
He does clarify that the name of this mode is still in development and could therefore change in the future, but he does claim that it “will result in even richer renderings for all aspects of the game”.
Developers at Ubisoft echoed a similar sentiment. Ubisoft Ivory Tower Technical Director Didier Blanché stated that the PS5 Pro will offer “sharper and cleaner image quality thanks to PSSR, with more objects on screen” at a solid 60fps in The Crew MotorfestTechnology Director Pierre Fortin added that Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes advantage of many PS5 Pro features, including improved ray tracing capabilities and a more powerful GPU for cleaner rendering.
Dongki Lee from Stellar Blade Developer Shift Up claimed that the PS5 Pro will now enable a 4K 50fps experience in-game. A high framerate option is also supported “allowing you to enjoy a smooth gaming experience” with an improved 80fps on supported 120Hz displays.
Similar performance improvements are coming Alan Awake 2 according to Remedy Entertainment communications director Thomas Puha. The 60fps performance mode will feature improved “visuals and effects” and will now run at 4K, “making the experience look even better than before.” This is no small feat considering how visually intensive Alan Awake 2 is and suggests that this could be the first real demonstration of the PS5 Pro’s potential.
The first descendant will also benefit from improved ray tracing to achieve “more lifelike and natural lighting and shadow effects,” according to Nexon Games’ lead engine programmer. This is on top of the addition of FSR 3.1 Frame Generation, which could further improve performance.
PSSR will be widely used in the coming years Metal Gear Solid Delta per Konami Digital Entertainment creative producer Yuji Korekado. This will help “deliver a smoother gameplay experience with improved frame rates throughout the game.”
Players of both Rise of the Ronin And Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will no doubt also be happy to hear that both titles will run better on the PS5 Pro according to their respective developers.
Electronic Arts also confirmed that Dragon Age: The Veil Guard can reach 60 fps in performance mode on the system, at a higher resolution compared to the base PS5.
Capcom also revealed that Dragon Dogma 2, originally shown in the PS5 Pro announcement trailer, will take full advantage of PSSR for more stable framerates. On top of the performance upgrades to Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil Village gets a 120fps setting, which can make for an incredibly smooth experience.
Finally, Hogwarts Legacy Developer Avalanche Software has stated that the game will benefit from PSSR, an improved performance thanks to the game’s massive GPU power and new ray tracing features for “sharper, richer, higher-resolution graphics”.
A promising start?
It all sounds promising and could be a compelling reason to upgrade, though only time will tell if the PS5 Pro can live up to these lofty performance claims. The console, which announced and officially unveiled by Sony earlier this month, is scheduled for launch on November 7.
PS5 Pro pre-orders go live this week, go live this week, expect stock to sell out quickly. If you’re keen to secure a system, be sure to keep an eye on our detailed guide to when you can buy one and which retailers to try.
Sony also recently revealed some very attractive designs for the PS5 and PS5 Pro in celebration of their 30th anniversary, full of little hidden details.
The PS5 Pro Limited Edition is very limited in numbers and is likely to sell out quickly. So check out our guide this week on where to pre-order the PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection if you don’t want to regret it.
Last night’s State of Play also showed off new PS5 Chroma Collection DualSense and console cover colorways, which are perhaps some of the best-looking yet. Check out our guide on where to pre-order the PS5 Chroma Collection if you’re eager to get your hands on them.