Highlights
Bethesda's previous releases have raised concerns about the technical performance of Starfield. However, there is a glimmer of hope as a skilled modder has already integrated NVIDIA's DLSS into the game, offering a promising resolution.
AMD's partnership with Bethesda for Starfield has triggered speculation about potential restrictions on DLSS and XeSS. However, AMD clarified that alternative solutions can be incorporated, while Bethesda has yet to address DLSS support.
A renowned modder named PureDark promptly developed a Starfield mod incorporating DLSS, XeSS, and FSR2 support. Nonetheless, it is crucial to meticulously follow the provided instructions for implementation due to reported complications.
Starfield's early access release saw the swift introduction of a mod that incorporated NVIDIA's DLSS, greatly improving the game's technical performance. Concerns about Starfield's performance had loomed among fans who were wary of Bethesda's past releases, such as the troubled launch of Fallout 76 and unfulfilled promises. The announcement of AMD's exclusive partnership with Bethesda Game Studios for Starfield led to uncertainty surrounding the extent of this exclusivity. Some worried that popular upscaling technologies such as DLSS from NVIDIA and XeSS from Intel would be blocked from the highly anticipated game. However, it has been clarified that while Starfield initially supports AMD's FSR2, AMD has declared that there are no restrictions on integrating competing solutions. Despite this, Bethesda has chosen not to comment on the potential inclusion of DLSS in Starfield, even though the majority of PC gamers use compatible graphics cards. Nevertheless, the modding community has already offered an unofficial solution to this concern.
PureDark, well-renowned for their exceptional upscaling mods, has brought DLSS2, XeSS, and FSR2 support to numerous games. Starfield is no exception to their expertise, as they successfully incorporated these enhancements into the game within just one hour. In a recent Patreon post, PureDark revealed that the swift completion of the mod was largely attributed to the shared codebase between their previous mods for Elden Ring and Jedi Survivor. The mod is now conveniently available for free on Nexus Mods, requiring users to extract it into their Starfield directory, install a plugin, and ensure the correct placement of specific files. Despite a few challenges encountered by some users during the implementation process, potential users are advised to carefully follow the provided instructions.
Keep in mind that if the current FSR2 does not improve performance, it is improbable that this mod would change it. DLSS is the preferred option for NVIDIA card users, but significant changes should not be expected. Starfield is expected to be a CPU-driven game for many players, meaning that they may experience bottlenecks regardless of their GPU's power.
One reason Bethesda decided to lock Starfield at 30 FPS on consoles is its technical design, which was confirmed in June after a highly praised game presentation. Fortunately, early reviews mostly agree that while Starfield is not without bugs, it is undeniably one of Bethesda Game Studios' most polished experiences.
Starfield is now available on PC and Xbox Series X/S.