PS5 Pro QSSR Could Transform Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Other Games

Sony's QSSR upscaling innovation could make a huge difference to image quality in several PlayStation 5 Pro games, particularly those battling low internal resolutions, shimmering, and unsteady images. First-party developers are anticipated to adopt the technology, and third-party titles employing existing solutions such as PSSR, AMD FSR, and Unreal Engine's TSR could also benefit.

Some of the most promising include Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Alan Wake 2, Control Resonant, 007 First Light, and Crimson Desert.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Could Be a Major QSSR Beneficiary

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth remains a strong example of how upscaling technologies can affect console visual quality. The base PS5 in performance mode has a slight visual clarity issue and would be a good candidate for QSSR upgrades.

The game doesn't feature temporal upscaling on the base PS5, so QSSR could deliver a noticeable improvement at an output target of around 1440p. The existing PSSR implementation on the PS5 Pro has already demonstrated how transformative better upscaling can be for Rebirth. QSSR could push image quality further while making the performance mode considerably more appealing.

The next installment in the series is also expected next year. Better upscaling could help prevent similar image-quality problems if developers can implement the technology effectively.

Control Resonant and 007 First Light Could See Cleaner Visuals

Games using AMD FSR 2 or FSR 3 could be among QSSR's biggest beneficiaries. Although FSR can produce sharp images, it sometimes struggles with temporal stability, resulting in noticeable shimmering and distracting artifacts during movement.

Control Resonant might be one candidate. The game apparently had image quality issues on PS5, but the PS5 Pro edition saw substantial improvements. The stability of images can be further improved by QSSR based on the performance of PSSR in comparable scenarios.

Another good example is 007 First Light. The game is said to often run internally at roughly 720p on PS5, with dynamic resolution scaling. QSSR could increase distant features and eliminate shimmering on vegetation, fences, and environmental items. It would be a huge improvement if the visual reconstruction were more stable, especially during fast-paced episodes such as the vehicle chases.

Alan Wake II and Crimson Desert Could Benefit From Better Upscaling

QSSR could possibly be of great assistance to Alan Wake II. Impressive presentation; however, visual quality remains a major problem. Better reconstruction could address some visual issues without requiring developers to render every frame at a much higher internal resolution.

Crimson Desert is another viable candidate, especially given the issues found in FSR 3. Better reconstruction could help reduce visual noise and produce more stable details in demanding scenes.

The underlying problem often involves a combination of low internal resolution and upscaling limitations. Together, these elements can produce fuzzy, noisy, or unstable images. QSSR might help overcome these shortcomings, but real results depend on how each game implements it.

Not all games will benefit equally from QSSR.

For the most part, the extent of the upgrades will depend on the upscaling technology each game uses. For example, Ghost of Tsushima with FSR looks quite tidy, and there's less headroom for development.

Likewise, if you're gaming with Unreal Engine's Temporal Super Resolution (TSR), then you might already be golden. Depending on current implementations, the move to QSSR may not offer a significant benefit. The biggest beneficiaries will be games with heavy shimmering, unsteady reconstruction, and low internal resolutions.

SDK Compatibility Could Complicate QSSR Upgrades

How easily developers can upgrade existing games may depend on QSSR's availability through Sony's software development kit (SDK). Retroactive updates are harder if the technology requires newer SDK versions, meaning studios may need to move older projects before they can implement it.

Earlier PSSR implementations reportedly supported games built on previous SDKs, making integration easier. QSSR might lack the centralized library that enabled some PSSR updates, so a system-level toggle might also be impossible.

Ultimately, QSSR's success will depend on its reconstruction skills and developer accessibility. Games like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Alan Wake II, Control Resonant, 007 First Light, and Crimson Desert could see considerable enhancements, but how much they benefit will depend on SDK compatibility and how each title implements the tech.