Starfield’s PC Release Might Not Have DLSS, According to Preload Files

It looks like the PC version of Starfield does not support Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) technology, according to the preload files.

Spotted by PCGamer, a user on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) named Sebastian Castellanos searched through Starfield’s preload files on PC and posted a screenshot noting various files and folders, stating AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.0 (FSR 2) was the only supersampling tech he could find, with no signs of DLSS or Intel’s XeSS.

So after combing through Starfield preload files on PC, I don’t see any sign of it supporting DLSS/XeSS. If true I think this would generate a lot of backlash for Bethesda & AMD (due to their refusal to confirm whether they block rival GPU vendor techs in their sponsored games). pic.twitter.com/U67On3x6Kt

— Sebastian Castellanos (@Sebasti66855537) August 18, 2023

If that is the case, it should not be too much of a surprise; AMD announced a few months back that it was teaming up with Bethesda and that the GPU maker is “the exclusive PC partner for Starfield“. While this does not rule out the possibility of getting a day one patch for XeSS and DLSS support, the signs indicate that FSR 2.0 will be the only supersampling tech available to Starfield’s PC players (at least for launch).

Real-time image enhancement and upscaling technologies have become key for PC gamers who want to play games at the maximum performance possible. They enable higher graphical settings and framerates for a given output resolution by inferring higher resolution images from lower resolutions.

Modder PureDark has already announced plans to mod DLSS 3 support in Starfield when he gains early access to the game on September 1. Of course, DLSS 3 is more selective on compatible hardware than its previous two iterations, only working on PCs equipped with the RTX 40-series graphics cards.

FSR is a supersampling tech AMD released in 2021 to compete with Nvidia DLSS, with the second iteration of FSR launching less than a year later in March 2022. Unlike DLSS, which requires a GeForce RTX Nvidia GPU (e.g., RTX 30 and 40 series), FSR is open-source, meaning the tech is hardware agnostic and will work with AMD, Nvidia (including the aging GeForce GTX 10-series), and Intel GPUs.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.