Today: Feb 14, 2025

Behind the Scenes of AMD’s Gaming Partnership: Starfield’s DLSS Integration Unraveled

1 year ago

Amidst the excitement surrounding AMD’s collaboration with Starfield, questions emerged about whether the tech giant was curbing the integration of Nvidia’s DLSS into the game.

Recent updates shed light on the matter, indicating that the gaming landscape might not be as constrained as initially thought.

In June, AMD raised eyebrows by promoting its FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) scaling technology. Some speculated that the company was inhibiting studios from exploring rival solutions like Nvidia’s DLSS and Intel’s XeSS.

This led to several games, including STAR WARS: Jedi Survivor, Resident Evil 4 Remake, and Callisto Protocol, offering FSR exclusively. Yet, users with Nvidia and Intel graphics cards felt the absence of tailored optimizations for their hardware.

AMD and Bethesda’s Exclusive Partnership

Amidst this backdrop, AMD’s exclusive partnership with Bethesda for Starfield’s release added fuel to the fire. Could one of the year’s most anticipated games solely feature AMD’s upscaling technology?

Recent conversations with AMD have revealed that Bethesda is not precluded from incorporating Nvidia’s DLSS if they so choose.

Frank Azor, AMD’s gaming head, quashed rumors with a reassuring statement: “If Bethesda wants to include DLSS in the game, they have our full support.” This stark declaration contrasts the hitherto evasive responses from AMD.

While financial incentives encourage studios to optimize for AMD’s cards and processors during partnerships, Azor clarifies that outright exclusivity is not the aim.

Bethesda’s lean towards FSR over competitors like DLSS might also stem from other considerations. Starfield’s console gameplay, specifically on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S (Microsoft acquired Bethesda in 2020), assumes significance.

These consoles boast AMD chips, including an RDNA 2 GPU, naturally aligning with FSR for optimized performance. Thus, the initial preference for FSR aligns with hardware compatibility, a point AMD acknowledges.

The Future: Integration and Possibilities

The focus now turns to whether Nvidia’s DLSS will find a place in Starfield in the future. Developers have it easier now to integrate such solutions, especially with engines like Unreal Engine or Unity.

For studios like Bethesda, who use proprietary tech, Nvidia and Intel often deploy dedicated engineers to adapt DLSS to their tools.

AMD is no exception; Starfield will receive an integration of FSR 2, with FSR 3 expected soon. Optimistic hopes rest on Starfield embracing Nvidia’s DLSS by year-end.

Meanwhile, modders like PureDark are already at work to introduce Nvidia’s tech into Starfield shortly after its launch. Though PureDark’s mod comes with a fee, other community members are expected to offer alternative solutions. Keep an eye on NexusMods for unofficial DLSS integration as the game continues to evolve.

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