Nvidia unveiled DLSS 5 at its GTC conference, calling it the biggest breakthrough in computer graphics, but gamers have reacted with memes and criticism over changes to game visuals. CEO Jensen Huang dismissed the backlash, stating gamers are completely wrong and developers retain artistic control. The technology is set for release in the fall.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang opened the company's GTC conference with a keynote revealing DLSS 5, its latest AI-powered upscaling technology for video games. Touted as the 'biggest breakthrough in computer graphics,' DLSS 5 was demonstrated in a video showing enhancements in games like Resident Evil Requiem and Starfield through before-and-after comparisons. The technology shifts from pixel processing to understanding 3D elements, deconstructing characters into components such as skin, hair, and clothing for more consistent rendering, faster performance, and realistic details. Developers control the enhancements to match the game's aesthetic, according to Nvidia. However, gamers quickly criticized the results as 'AI slop' resembling 'yassified' AI-generated filters, accusing it of betraying artistic visions and potentially homogenizing game graphics. YouTuber The Sphere Hunter posted on X: 'Everything about this is a betrayal of these game's artistry... Painting over handcrafted, intentional 3D art with shiny, wrinkly, sunken-in, porous, puckered, fraudulent, filtered nonsense is deeply disrespectful.' In a Q&A on Tuesday, Huang responded: gamers are 'completely wrong,' as DLSS 5 'enhances and adds generative capability, but it doesn't change the artistic control' and remains 'in the direct control of the game developer.' Digital Foundry described it as 'disruptive and transformative,' with video producer Oliver Mackenzie noting the images 'looked a little bit uncanny... but definitely the overall portrayal of those characters is much more sophisticated.' Bethesda replied on X regarding Starfield and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered: 'This is a very early look, and our art teams will be further adjusting the lighting and final effect... totally optional for players.' Nvidia listed upcoming supporting games including Assassin's Creed Shadows, Hogwarts Legacy, and Phantom Blade Zero. DLSS originated in 2018 with RTX 2080 cards; DLSS 5 arrives this fall, with supported GPUs to be announced later.
