Digital Foundry Thinks 60FPS Starfield Is Now 'More Viable' On Xbox Series X

I’m still here, waiting, hoping.

Something something cpu bottleneck

I can't see them doing this. They made a big statement about how 60fps simply wasn't possible on console and was also more cinematic (despite having no such 'artistic' constraint if playing on PC), so to put in a performance mode now would be to go back on their own words. Even before this patch, DF had found that a performance mode on Series X was likely very possible with a reduction in resolution and/or visual settings, but they didn't do it. A 40fps mode would have been possible at the very least, but they didn't offer that either. They just don't seem like the sort of studio that places any kind of importance on maximising the technical aspects of their game - just look at the awful HDR implementation that still doesn't appear to be fixed properly in the latest patch, despite the modding community fixing it within a few days of release.

TLDR - I am not holding out much hope for a performance mode, but I would love to be wrong!

All the more reason why engineers really need to focus on scaling out rather than scaling up.

CDPR needs to provide a course for engineers on how to properly scale an engine to more cores. DF has show numerous times how well the RED Engine scales with increases core count - as one would expect.

Let's be honest, clock speeds themselves have been stagnant for years, but the number of cores continues to increase. And, yet, engineers seem to continue to limit the number of threads and cores rather than simply scale according to core count.

The funny thing is, in Starfield's situation, Bethesda had AMD engineers working on this code and even touted how the game was "highly threaded" only for DF to come in and show just how untrue that was...at least at launch: it was still relatively thread limited.

@Spaceman-Spiff All that is true. However, they have supported and improved Skyrim, so I suspect that they will add a performance mode on Series X, someday. The video almost proves that it's possible. I think that they really wanted the game out after removing the glaring glitches that are associated with their games. They were proud of that and now they are polishing the technical features.

Wouldnt make a difference to me as the game is slow paced not like it needs 60fps like an Elden ring of any high reflex game like that

Call me blind, but I just can’t say if a game has 30 or 60fps. Perhaps if I see them side to side, but even then I’m not sure I’d spot the difference. It seems to be a big deal, but I haven’t had any negative experiences with the playability of Starfield.

RDR2 is only 30fps, as much as everyone wants a 60fps patch, it doesn't need it because of the slow paced nature of that game. Pretty much game of the decade i would think also.

@Darude84 60fps is more responsive everything looks and moves smoother some games don't need 60fps but others do starfield doesn't really as it's slow paced go into a game where you can adjust your frame rate and switch between the two you will see the difference

@eire-shabba I tried that with (I believe) Tales of Arise, which is quite a fast paced game. Didn’t notice any differences though.

120hz/40fps mode at least is surely possible on both X and S. Make it happen.

To be honest I'd happily take a consistent 30fps. I get regular few frames a second, freezes, crashes and other such anomalies. Worst performance for me is when opening up the menu quickly to access the quicksave. System struggles often. Shame because I quicksave every few minutes after losing too many gaming hours to crashes.
Having said that its easily the longest / furthest I've managed to get in a Bethesda game since Oblivion. Games breaking glitches stopped me finishing Skyrim (couple of times) and Fallout 4 but feeling a bit more confident with Starfield.

When 60 fps comes to Starfield on Xbox the game is flawless. Easily a game that will be remembered after decades and other console companies will try to copy. Sony fanboys are already crying in almost every news about gaming how Sony needs to catch up on games compared to Xbox, this will be salt to their wounds.

Hope they make it happen 🙏

I'll sacrifice a little graphical fidelity for 60 FPS. Smooth 60 FPS > Graphics, every time.

@Darude84 Fair enough so it's clear enough for me even just moving the camera around it's noticeable just more fluid and realistic

They specifically stated they designed the game around 30 fps.
If they deliver a performance mode, that obvious lie will be even more obvious.
It would take a lot more than 60fps to get me revisiting the game. I had some fun for 120 hours though, but I've had my fill of that one.

Played almost 100 hours of the game.

At no point have I ever said to self, "you know what, this isn't 60 fps." And I'm absolutely, perfectly, sincerely alright with it.

Truly seems in the gaming world that 60fps is just the "cool and trendy" thing to complain and fight over. So sad. So first world problems. Basically is the video gamer equivalent of, "Oh I only eat vegan".

So it was always viable then, Todd just lied as usual.

@MrMagic At launch we already had examples of CPUs lesser than what even the S sports running it at 60fps. I could almost see this particular thing being Microsoft's fault as it was around, only about a month earlier, that we learned of the parity clause they have.

That combined with the obvious downgrades to games like Forza and Redfall are other things that hint, though not confirm, this. They definitely do what to make sure Series S owners don't regret their purchases though, even at the expensive of X owners

60fps with VRR enabled TV's recommended but an 'unlocked' mode capped to say 60fps for consistency would be a more accurate description - unless they 'tweak' something to reduce the CPU load further, 60fps doesn't look like a 'consistent' reality regardless of how BAD the graphic settings may be.

They 'test' CPU by making sure the Graphic settings are LOW so its never a GPU bottleneck - so run the game at 540p to test 'Series S/X' equivalent CPU's to see if they can 'consistently' deliver 60fps - they can't but its much closer to being 'possible', but at what 'visual' sacrifice? Would you play a '720p' upscaled to 4k with some lower quality settings just to play at 60fps with VRR enabled?

Anyway, time will tell as they say but its going to help it run 'better' in the future too regardless of platform...

@InterceptorAlpha Yeah, it makes total sense and wouldn't surprise me in the least if that's actually the case. Maybe they can implement 60fps now that they've eased up a little on the parity clause but it'll also be like they are admitting the S held it back if they do.

It’s going to happen as soon as I stop playing lol.

It is Bethesda we talking about here.
Old gaming engine, out of date systems and inventory, loads of slow loading screens.
Part of Starfield is like a Xbox360 game in that regard not modern and slick at all.
The game should have had a total modernisation put through its systems and base architecture before it even got released.

60fps? Yes! Let's see those load screens run smoother.
Joking aside, I'm happy with 30fps. I'd sooner see the flat, washed out looking graphics have some life patched into them.