Summary
Three years on from its initial release and CD Projekt Red’sCyberpunk 2077remains one of the most visually impressive games on the market. While a rough launch led to a rocky start, the years sinceCyberpunk 2077’s release have seen numerous improvements to gameplay and graphics that have helped to bring it in line with players’ initial expectations. Taking full advantage of advanced features like Cyberpunk 2077’s ray-traced reflections and path-traced lighting on PC has typically only been possible on extremely high-end machines, though, but a new mod promises to let owners of someolder Nvidia cardsenjoy these features without shelling out for a new system.
In early December, AMD released the source code for the latest version of itsFidelityFX Super Resolution tech, known as FSR 3. An open-source alternative to Nvidia’s deep learning super sampling feature, or DLSS, FSR 3 can improve both framerates and image quality in PC games. Of most interest to many PC gamers is the ability for FSR 3 to let games use frame generation, which can drastically boost framerates by inserting an additional frame of video between two already rendered ones. Though FSR 3 support hasn’t officially been added toCyberpunk 2077, a new mod by Nukem9 patches in support and lets PC players take advantage of the tech right now.
How to Add FSR 3 to Cyberpunk 2077
PC players looking to take advantage of FSR 3 withCyberpunk 2077will need to download the DLSS-to-FSR3 mod by Nukem9. Available on Nexus Mods, Nukem9’s mod is designed to be simple enough that even technical novices can use it. After the files are downloaded, players will need to open a file that removes an Nvidia feature check from the Windows registry and copy two files toCyberpunk 2077’s install folder. Once this is done, players should be able to enable frame generation from the graphics settings menu by turning on the DLSS Frame Generation option.
Although the in-game option saysDLSS Frame Generation, once the mod is installedCyberpunk 2077will actually be using FSR 3 to generate frames. This will allow gamers using some older Nvidia cards to take advantage of the high-end feature to boost their framerates without having to upgrade their PC. Despite hardware support for the feature on many of its 3000-series video cards, Nvidia chose to disable frame generation at the driver level on all but its 4000-series cards.
Cyberpunk 2077’s FSR 3 Mod Has Some Potential Drawbacks
The FSR 3 mod forCyberpunk 2077can be a game-changer for PC players, with some users reporting framerates almost doubling after installation, but it does come with some drawbacks. One of the biggest downsides to the mod at the moment is that, despite usingAMD’s FSR 3 frame-generation technology, the mod currently doesn’t work on most AMD video cards. While some users of AMD’s latest video cards have been able to install the mod successfully, for now, compatibility should only be expected by users on Nvidia’s 2000 and 3000-series cards.
Another drawback with the current implementation of the mod is that its use in some games could lead to players getting flagged for cheating. Since Nukem9’s mod works with any game with DLSS 3 support, not justCyberpunk 2077, players may be tempted to use it to boost framerates in their favorite multiplayer title. But this could come with serious consequences for players who install it formultiplayer games likeCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, since the mod can trigger anti-cheat detection and potentially lead to a ban.
While an official implementation of FSR 3 forCyberpunk 2077would be preferable for many gamers, Nukem9’s mod is a great stopgap solution for PC players looking to boost their framerates. And although older PCs will still struggle to run the game with all the settings maxed, installing it should make for a smoother experience for most players.
