The CEO of Arrowhead Games, the developer of Helldivers 2, recently made headlines with his controversial statement on Twitter, asserting that Nvidia’s DLSS is ‘cool tech, but not necessary.’ This sparked a debate among gamers and tech enthusiasts, given the growing importance of upscaling and performance-boosting technologies in the gaming industry.
Despite the absence of branded upscaling tools in Helldivers 2, the game has garnered praise as one of the most engaging co-op experiences of the year. The CEO’s stance on prioritizing core gameplay over technological enhancements has stirred discussions about the necessity of advanced rendering technologies in modern gaming.
While DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is absent in Helldivers 2, the game utilizes its own Temporal Super Resolution (TSR) technology, offering upscaling or supersampling based on the GPU’s capabilities. This approach has contributed to the game’s stability and performance, even on mid-range graphics cards like the RTX 3060, delivering consistent frame rates at 1080p with maximum settings.
Johan Pilestedt, the CEO of Arrowhead Games, explained that upscaling technologies like DLSS and FSR (AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution) may not significantly enhance Helldivers 2’s performance, as the game’s computational load primarily rests on the CPU due to extensive simulation requirements. While acknowledging the potential benefits of DLSS 3 and FSR 3 in addressing CPU bottlenecks, Pilestedt emphasized the company’s focus on delivering compelling content over prioritizing technological advancements.
Although the inclusion of DLSS and FSR in Helldivers 2 remains uncertain, the developer’s stance on prioritizing gameplay and content development has resonated with the gaming community. With the game’s matchmaking issues largely resolved, players have lauded its performance across diverse hardware configurations, highlighting its stability and optimization.
The ongoing debate surrounding the necessity of upscaling technologies in Helldivers 2 reflects the evolving landscape of gaming, where developers face decisions between enhancing technical capabilities and delivering immersive gameplay experiences. As the industry continues to embrace advancements in rendering technologies, the discussion sparked by Arrowhead Games’ CEO sheds light on the nuanced considerations in game development and optimization.
