Sony has released QSSR (Quick Spectral Super Resolution), an AI upscaler for the standard PS5, and Digital Foundry thinks it could clean up GTA 6's image quality on the base console. Preview report Rockstar hasn't announced support. Confirmed
The problem
In its analysis of the Extended Look, Digital Foundry found GTA 6 appears to render at around 1440p on a base PS5 and upscale to 4K with a fairly basic method. Preview report The result looks softer and shimmers more than it needs to. It found no sign of AMD's FSR or another modern temporal upscaler.
What QSSR does
QSSR is a lighter version of PSSR, the AI upscaler on the PS5 Pro. In Digital Foundry's tests with Marvel's Wolverine, it noticeably improved fine detail, foliage, water and reflections. Preview report
Why it might not be there on day one
- Timing. GTA 6 launches in six weeks, and the game is almost certainly finished.
- Rockstar's pipeline. Its image processing is tightly tied to ray tracing and anti-aliasing, so swapping in a new upscaler could mean trade-offs, Digital Foundry says. Preview report
- Cost. QSSR uses GPU time, and GTA 6 is already a demanding game.
A post-launch patch is possible, but nothing is promised.
Should you get a PS5 Pro for GTA 6?
Digital Foundry expects GTA 6 to target 30fps on consoles because its huge simulation leans on the CPU. Preview report The PS5 Pro's CPU is only slightly faster, so its extra power would go mostly into a sharper, cleaner image rather than a higher frame rate. If image quality matters to you, the Pro is still the better console for GTA 6. If you mainly want 60fps, there's no confirmation of that on any console.
| Question | Status |
|---|---|
| Base PS5 renders around 1440p | Digital Foundry estimate |
| QSSR support in GTA 6 | Not announced |
| PS5 Pro enhancements | Not detailed by Rockstar |
| 60fps mode | Not confirmed; 30fps reported in previews |