Microsoft revealed that its DirectSR (Direct Super Resolution) API, which seeks to standardize super resolution-based performance enhancement technologies in games, has a hardware-independent default code path that is essentially based on AMD FSR 2.2, a Microsoft Dev Manager speaking at GDC has revealed. DirectSR provides a common set of APIs for game developers to integrate super resolution—so that developers don't have to separately implement DLSS, FSR and XeSS. Rather these upscalers, and others, can register themselves with the DirectSR API, and then get fed a dozen of input parameters that they may (or may not) use to improve the upscaling quality. Since AMD has open-sourced the code of FSR 2.2 on GPUOpen, and it is entirely shader-based, and doesn't use exotic technologies such as AI, Microsoft decided to use FSR 2.2 as the base algorithm for DirectSR. If other algorithms like DLSS are available on the user system, these can be activated by the user, too, of course, but supporting them requires no extra work from the developer side.Update 18:15 UTC: Updated the news post to make it clear that the FSR 2.2 code path is merely a default, and other upscalers are free to hook into DirectSR to provide upscaling.

AMD at GDC 2024 announced the FidelityFX Super Resolution 3.1 (FSR 3.1). While the original FSR 3.0 feature-set largely carries forward the super resolution upscaler from FSR 2.2, adding frame generation on top; the new FSR 3.1 adds several image quality improvements to the upscaler itself, improving image quality at every performance preset. Specifically, it improves the temporal stability of the output at rest and in movement, to reduce flickering and shimmering, or "fizziness" around objects in motion. The new upscaler also reduces ghosting, and better preserves detail.

Next up, is a rather important change in the way the frame generation technology works. AMD has decoupled FSR 3.1 frame generation from the upscaling tech, which allows frame generation to work with other upscaling solutions, such as DLSS or XeSS. The possibilities of such a decoupling are endless—have an RTX 30-series "Ampere" GPU that lacks DLSS 3 frame generation support? No worries, use DLSS 2 for the upscaling, and FSR 3.1 for the frame generation. AMD is also clumping its FidelityFX family of technologies into a new FidelityFX API that makes it easier for developers to debug, and paves the way for forward-compatibility with future versions of FSR. Lastly, FSR 3.1 supports Vulkan API, and the Microsoft Xbox GDK. AMD plans to release FSR 3.1 to developers through its GPUOpen platform in Q2-2024, and its first implementations on games are expected later this year. In the meantime, AMD implemented FSR 3.1 on "Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart," to showcase the new upscaler.

To celebrate our presence here at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, today we revealed that the local and world-famous Nürburgring GP circuit will be available in Forza Motorsport at launch on October 10. What's more, as part of our plan to regularly bring new content to the game after release, we are also happy to confirm the iconic 12.9-mile (20.83 km) Nordschleife will be coming in Spring 2024.

Both tracks have been completely rebuilt for the Xbox Series X|S and PC. Nürburgring GP is the latest addition to the 20 tracks featured in Forza Motorsport on day one - with more announcements remaining, check out the list of tracks we've announced to date. In addition to our track lineup, Forza Motorsport starts with over 500 cars, and this list will continue to expand beyond launch. Check out the cars we have announced so far and stay tuned for future car reveals as we get closer to release day.

Avalanche Software has released quite a big patch for Hogwarts Legacy, improving visual, performance, gameplay, and general stability. In addition to more than 500 bug fixes, it also brings the new Arachnophobia Mode.

Performance-wise, the newest patch resolves general crashes on the PC and various memory leaks, brings plenty of optimizations, fixes ray tracing issues, and more. It also updates minimum driver recommendation for NVIDIA graphics cards, updates NVIDIA DLSS to v3.1.2, AMD FSR to v2.2, and Intel XeSS to v1.1.

AMD could tease its next-generation graphics performance enhancement rivaling NVIDIA DLSS 3, at the 2023 Game Developers Conference (GDC 2023), slated for March 23. While the company didn't name it, its GDC 2023 session brief references an "exciting sneak peek of new FidelityFX technologies" that will be "available soon," meaning that it isn't the recently released FSR 2.2. We expect this to be the very first look at FSR 3.0.

AMD frantically dropped in the first mention of FSR 3.0 in its Radeon RX 7900 series RDNA3 announcement presentation (slide below). The company let out precious little details of the new technology except the mention that it offers double the frame-rate versus FSR 2 (at comparable image quality). Does this involve a frame-rate doubling technology similar to DLSS 3? We don't know yet. It could just be a more advanced upscaling algorithm that doubles performance at a given quality target compared to FSR 2. We'll know for sure later this month. It would be a coup of sorts for AMD if FSR 3.0 doesn't require RX 7000 series GPUs, and can run on older Radeon GPUs, whereas DLSS 3 requires the latest GeForce RTX 40-series GPUs.

Although it has already been available in some games, AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.2 is now available as an Unreal Plugin over on GPUOpen. AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution 2 has been already used in some games ever since AMD released the source code for the technology, which includes the titles like Forza Horizon 5, Need For Speed Unbound, and F1 22, but implementation in various engines can take time, and now it is available as a plugin for Unreal Engine. AMD's FSR 2.2 brings several improvements including new logic that should reduce "High-Velocity Ghosting," an issue that usually plagues racing games. It also feature a new Debug API Checker, which should provide much easier debugging for developers.