Digital Foundry Direct Weekly: VRR, Auto SR, and Future Tech

This week on Digital Foundry Direct Weekly, the team tackles the evolving necessity of Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) in modern console gaming. They discuss whether it has become a necessary crutch or a beneficial feature for games struggling to maintain performance targets. The conversation explores the technical landscape of the PlayStation 5 and how developers are utilizing advanced rendering techniques like ray tracing and dynamic resolution scaling.

Key Technical Discussions

The Role of VRR on Consoles

• VRR is not a crutch but a powerful tool that solves long-standing console performance constraints.
• The team highlights the HDMI 2.1 requirement for best performance, noting that some titles like Dragon's Dogma 2 and Elden Ring rely heavily on these technologies to smooth out performance gaps.
• Concerns are raised regarding screen flicker on certain displays and the inconsistent frame delivery that VRR cannot fully mask in poorly optimized titles.

"I'm going to answer the question bluntly by saying no, it has not become a crutch. And I say that because I think most games are actually quite okay."

Analyzing Microsoft's Auto SR

• The discussion moves to Auto SR on the Snapdragon X Elite platform, exploring how this spatial upscaler improves image quality at lower internal resolutions.
• It is described as a post-process implementation that, while not reaching the temporal quality of DLSS, provides a surprisingly clean image for mobile device constraints.

Industry Insights

Sega's New Crazy Taxi

• Details regarding the upcoming multiplayer-focused Crazy Taxi game were analyzed.
• The team shows interest in the project's ambition but stresses the importance of core "arcade-like" flow over generic open-world design.

Mark Cerny and the Architectural Legacy

• The panel reviews insights from Mark Cerny regarding the PlayStation 5's design.
• Notable discussion on why 60 FPS became the predominant target this generation and the surprising early adoption of ray tracing.

Physical Media Status

• Clarification regarding Sony sunsetting recordable Blu-ray media, noting this appears to be a B2B move that won't impact consumer retail games.