Nvidia is trying to push DLSS 5 again but this time only one game is using it

Nvidia's DLSS 5, its generative AI-powered upscaling technology, officially launches this Friday, September 4, but is only supported in one game: NBA 2K27. According to Nvidia's own data, enabling DLSS 5 cuts performance by 50% to 60%, and the company has not announced any other supported titles despite earlier promises from Microsoft, Capcom, Ubisoft, and Bethesda.

After it was widely mocked earlier this year, AI https://metro.co.uk/tag/artificial-intelligence/ powered upscaling technology DLSS 5 is officially launching this week, but it’s only officially supported in one game. Back in March, Nvidia announced a new version of its DLSS upscaling technology, simply called DLSS 5 https://metro.co.uk/2026/03/17/nvidia-new-ai-tech-turns-video-game-graphics-slop-fans-outraged-27487181/ . Unlike all the previous versions, it makes use of generative AI, which remains extremely controversial technology. No doubt Nvidia hoped it would be the one to put naysayers to rest but, if anything, DLSS 5 proved the opposite and was widely derided and mocked for making video games https://metro.co.uk/tag/games-news/ look objectively worse. After a quiet six months, Nvidia was no doubt hoping everyone’s forgot about that whole brouhaha as it has announced DLSS 5 will launch to coincide with NBA 2K27, a game that paints the tech in a far more flattering light… by looking barely any different. NBA 2K27 is the latest entry in 2K’s series of basketball sports games and it launches for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC this Friday, September 4. If you are playing the game on PC and have a GeForce RTX 50 Series GPU or GeForce NOW, you can take advantage of DLSS 5, which Nvidia boasts https://www.nvidia.com/en-gb/geforce/news/dlss-5-3d-guided-neural-rendering/ as having 3D-Guided Neural Rendering, ‘a major step forward in using AI to bring real-time graphics closer than ever to Hollywood-grade photorealism.’ Expert, exclusive gaming analysis Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter https://metro.co.uk/newsletters/game-central/ for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. Nvidia’s first examples of this were awful, especially with photorealistic characters, which became uncanny to look at. The image of Resident Evil Requiem https://metro.co.uk/2026/02/25/resident-evil-requiem-review-best-resi-since-2005-27089612/ ’s Grace Ashcroft being transformed into a pouty lipped supermodel was one of the more damning examples, that got fans upset. The tech must have improved since then as examples of how DLSS 5 works in NBA 2K27 aren’t nearly so ugly, but the difference is so negligible it begs the question as to whether the technology was worth all the trouble in the first place. Some may appreciate the perceived increase in realism, but DLSS 5 isn’t even an option for people who don’t have the limited range of supported hardware, which itself is becoming increasingly expensive https://metro.co.uk/2026/03/05/gaming-pcs-will-expensive-ordinary-people-2028-predicts-report-27244889/ to upgrade to, thanks to the very AI tech Nvidia is peddling. On top of that, it’s been pointed out that according to Nvidia’s own data, turning DLSS 5 on cuts performance by 50% to 60%, which is hardly going to please anyone who’s spent the money on a high-end graphics card. It’s also telling that nowhere in Nvidia’s announcement does it mention any other games that will be supported by DLSS 5, despite the March reveal boasting support from the likes of Microsoft, Capcom, Ubisoft, and Bethesda. Plus, while DLSS 5 may be beneficial for photorealistic graphics, the same can’t be said for games with more distinct art styles. This has been proven by modders who were able to access DLSS 5 early and apply it to other games, with even worse results than the first time round. Something like Trails In The Sky, which has an anime art style, looks like pure nightmare fuel https://www.reddit.com/r/videogames/comments/1w3i5bk/this is how trails in the sky looks like with/ and even those with more realistic visuals like Control https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxXdIVc9Suo and The Last Of Us Part 2 https://x.com/dvesf yt/status/2093219701711122675 haven’t fared much better, making their characters almost look entirely different. One of the more infamous examples is the below shot of Cloud from Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth https://metro.co.uk/2024/02/22/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-review-remade-remodelled-reborn-20323101/ with the DLSS 5 filter applied, which somehow makes him look like Scarlett Johansson in cosplay. Maybe the tech simply isn’t meant for these kinds of games, but that was not the impression given back in March. At best, DLSS 5 doesn’t have the broad versatility Nvidia was initially boasting but at worst they’re purposefully hiding the more offensive results behind a photorealistic game with no fictional characters. Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here https://metro.co.uk/submit-stuff/ . For more stories like this, check our Gaming page https://metro.co.uk/entertainment/gaming/ . 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