Sony is rolling out a new AI-based upscaling option, Quick Spectral Super Resolution (QSSR), for the standard PlayStation 5, with the first updates arriving Thursday, Oct. 1, for Marvel’s Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei.
What QSSR does on the PS5
QSSR uses artificial intelligence to improve the apparent resolution of in-game images that were rendered internally at a lower resolution. The goal is to deliver sharper visuals on the standard PS5 without the machine-learning hardware built into the PS5 Pro.
Sony describes QSSR as a new level of AI upscaling performance for the base console. The technology was developed alongside AMD as part of Project Amethyst.
How it compares with PS5 Pro’s PSSR
QSSR is a descendant of PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), the upscaling solution available on PS5 Pro. According to Sony, PSSR remains the company’s benchmark for this category of feature.
The main difference stems from hardware. PS5 Pro includes dedicated silicon for machine learning, enabling stronger upscaling targets. The standard PS5 lacks that dedicated hardware, so QSSR must operate within tighter processing limits.
In practical terms, Sony expects QSSR results on the base PS5 to be closer to an upscaled 1440p image, while PSSR on PS5 Pro can produce images approaching native 4K.
Developer workflow and implementation
Daniel Craig, principal engineer for graphics research and development at Sony, said developers must use different strategies between the two consoles. On PS5 Pro, teams typically produce a 4K output and render internally at lower resolutions to be upscaled. On the standard PS5, Craig said studios need more flexibility, adjusting not only render resolution but also intermediate and final presentation targets depending on the graphic mode.
Potential for wider adoption
Although QSSR is constrained compared with PSSR, it offers an implementation advantage: compatibility. Craig said QSSR can act as a direct substitute for titles that already support PSSR, and adapting those games would take only a few days of adjustments.
Sony plans to make QSSR widely available to PlayStation developers, which could speed adoption across more games because studios may not have to build a wholly different solution to benefit from the feature.
First games to receive QSSR
Marvel’s Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei are the initial games to add QSSR on Oct. 1. For Ghost of Yōtei, the update coincides with the release of the Complete Edition.
Sony-released demonstrations show visibly sharper images with QSSR enabled, though the degree of improvement varies by game and settings. An early test by Digital Foundry noted the feature’s promise, pointing out that lower-resolution rendering and poor upscaling have affected several current-generation titles and that QSSR could meaningfully improve those cases.
By offering QSSR for the standard PS5, Sony provides developers another tool to balance resolution and performance without relying on the Pro’s dedicated machine-learning hardware.
