Sony is once again set to shake up console gaming. An important overhaul of its AI-based upscaling technology, PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution), is in progress and could significantly improve the graphics and performance of games optimized for PS5 Pro.
According to TechRadar, YouTube technology analyst Moore’s Law Is Dead indicated that this upcoming version, colloquially known as “PSSR 2”, is undergoing a complete overhaul by PlayStation. This revised edition will allow developers to significantly decrease native game resolutions for better overall performance, relying on PSSR 2's enhanced upscaling capabilities to maintain image clarity.
Aiming High: 4K at 120 FPS, 8K at 60 FPS
The upgrade is not minor. Reports indicate that Sony is currently aiming for 4K resolution at 120 frames per second and even 8K resolution at 60 FPS, establishing the PS5 Pro as a strong contender in next-gen gaming.
Returnal Gets a Surprise PS5 Pro Upgrade
In an unexpected gesture to mark its fourth anniversary, developer Housemarque has launched a free PS5 Pro upgrade patch for Returnal. The enhancement greatly increases the game's resolution, up to 2.56 times higher than the standard PS5.
Previously running at a fixed 1080p, the game now employs Dynamic Resolution Scaling (DRS) on the PS5 Pro, achieving maximums of 3072x1728. Even in GPU-intensive situations such as boss battles, the resolution remains close to 2400x1350, providing a visually clearer experience with reduced aliasing and graininess.
Returnal finds itself one of the games benefiting from a GPU 1.45x boost on the PS5 Pro offering, pushing it to better and more Stable 60 FPS performance, especially in those moments of action-packed gameplay. Bosses and intensive levels are able to run without the frame-drop hiccups seen from playing on a base PS5.
Albeit the little frame time spikes (the maximum would be up to 50 ms) in very specific combat scenarios, the game is considerably improved as a whole regarding progress made from the initial version.
Looking Ahead: Neural Network Upscaling Coming in 2026
Sony's unrelenting pursuit of yet better upscaling has, in turn, found a new neighbour. Since 2026, Sony and AMD have been developing a new neural net technology for upscaling PS5 games, which will be inspired by AMD FSR 4.
Although architecturally different from AMD's RDNA 4 GPUs, the PlayStation will utilize similar algorithms to incorporate PC-like upscaling capabilities into consoles. As explained by the chief architect of the PS5, Mark Cerny:
“Our target is to have something very similar to FSR 4's upscaler available on PS5 Pro for 2026 titles as the next evolution of PSSR.”
Concluding Reflections
The continuous development of PSSR might signify a pivotal moment in how developers manage performance and image quality on consoles. With the PS5 Pro already providing significant improvements and even more advanced upscaling technology in the future, Sony seems dedicated to maintaining its console's competitiveness with premium PCs while preserving the gaming experience.
As Returnal shows, even a simple resolution enhancement can revitalize current games. With "PSSR 2" and neural upscaling approaching, the future of console graphics appears clearer than ever.
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