Nvidia is set to add a powerful feature to the Unity game engine by the end of 2021 in the form of DLSS support, the company announced via its official news blog.
Nvidia previously brought its DLSS technology to games like Minecraft and Cyberpunk 2077, and is now looking to bring that tech to one of the most widely-used engines for game development.
If you’re unfamiliar with DLSS, it stands for Deep Learning Super Sampling, and uses artificial intelligence to scale up lower resolutions without putting strain on your GPU. This frees up resources on your computer to improve game performance.
Nvidia’s DLSS technology should be a boon for Unity developers. As one of the most widely used game engines in the world that encompasses both experienced and fledgling developers in its user base, DLSS implementation could take a lot of the stress out of the process of game performance optimization.
High res, low stress
If you play games even semi-frequently, you’ve likely played something that was made in Unity. From indie darlings like the jaw-dropping Ori and the Will of the Wisps to popular multiplayer hits Fall Guys and Genshin Impact.
While the addition of DLSS support to the Unity engine will be welcome news to PC developers and gamers alike, AMD’s equivalent solution is also one to watch. Its FidelityFX Super Resolution alternative is also due to launch this year, providing Nvidia some competition as well as an option for AMD GPU owners.
One potential drawback to Nvidia’s DLSS technology is that it does require an RTX 20 series graphics card at a minimum. Given how difficult it is to acquire an RTX GPU right now – particularly those in the RTX 30 range – it might end up going unenjoyed by the vast majority of PC gamers, especially considering that Nvidia itself is uncertain when those cards will be readily available again.
