Image: Osh33m / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
In short: On 1 October 2026, Sony introduced Quick Spectral Super Resolution (QSSR), bringing AI upscaling to the base PS5 for the first time. Until now, only the PS5 Pro had it through PSSR. The first games are Marvel's Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei, which get a new graphics option via patch. From 20 October, the PS Plus catalogue also adds Mafia: The Old Country and Horizon Forbidden West.
What QSSR does
Upscaling renders a frame at a lower resolution and scales it up, which saves performance. AI upscaling uses a neural network to add detail and keep the image stable. According to the PlayStation Blog, PSSR was too demanding for the base PS5. QSSR is a faster evolution from Project Amethyst, Sony's AI graphics collaboration with AMD. It uses a leaner neural network and a hand-tuned implementation. Sony says PSSR remains the gold standard on PS5 Pro, while QSSR gives noticeably better detail and stability on PS5.
First games
Insomniac says QSSR adds clarity and extra detail to Madripoor and Shinjuku in Marvel's Wolverine. Push Square reports that a later Wolverine patch turns QSSR on by default on the base PS5. Sucker Punch highlights temporal stability in Ghost of Yōtei, meaning less shimmering when the camera moves. QSSR is available to all PlayStation developers, so more games should follow.
PSSR vs QSSR
PSSR runs on the PS5 Pro with a larger, more demanding network. QSSR runs on the standard PS5 with a leaner one. It does not turn a PS5 into a Pro, because the Pro simply has more GPU power, but it gets more out of existing hardware. Whether a game supports QSSR is up to each studio: older games only get it through a patch, while new games can build it in from the start. To use it, install the latest game update and look in the graphics settings.
PS Plus from 20 October
| Game | Tier |
|---|---|
| Mafia: The Old Country | Extra, Premium |
| Horizon Forbidden West | Extra, Premium |
| Mycopunk (day one) | Extra, Premium |
| Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 | Extra, Premium |
| Dino Crisis 2, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 | Premium classics |
Who benefits
Base PS5 owners get a free image quality boost, so update both games. PS5 Pro buyers still get the better PSSR. Waiting for GTA VI? See our gaming autumn overview and our guide to OLED monitors. More in the PlayStation section.
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