Sony is reportedly developing a more powerful PlayStation 5, dubbed the PS5 Pro, and is encouraging game developers to fully leverage the enhanced processing capabilities that the Pro console is expected to provide.
The Verge reports that Sony is encouraging game developers to create a special graphics mode for the high-end PlayStation 5 model. This mode is said to integrate Sony’s new PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) technology, which upscales to 4K resolution at 60fps with ray-tracing enabled.
The PSSR is rumoured to utilise machine learning for image upscaling, similar to Nvidia’s DLSS or AMD’s FSR.
Games featuring this mode are expected to carry the PS5 Pro “Enhanced” label. However, this label may also apply to some games running at 30fps.
It is reported that games with a fixed resolution on the standard PS5 can receive the “Enhanced” label if the target resolution is increased on the PS5 Pro. Similarly, games with variable resolutions can qualify if their target maximum resolution is raised.
This suggests that a game with a higher maximum resolution on the PS5 Pro compared to the base PS5 could be eligible for the “Enhanced” label. Enabling ray-tracing without improving resolution or framerate might also suffice for the label.
Nonetheless, games that only offer a more stable framerate on the PS5 Pro or those with variable resolutions that do not increase the maximum resolution reportedly will not receive the label.
For instance, a game with a variable resolution ranging from 1440p to 2160p on the base PS5, which then ranges from 1800p to 2160p on the PS5 Pro, would not be labelled “Enhanced” because the maximum resolution remains unchanged.
Developers interested in this mode must update their games with Sony’s SDK. However, even without updates, some games may perform better on the PS5 Pro due to an “ultra boost” mode that enhances framerates and resolutions.
Yet, it is reported that many games without patches, particularly those with fixed resolutions and graphics settings, will not benefit from this mode.
