How long until game development will pivot back to sub-1080p targets with a 30fps lock?

I'll admit that i'm not that well-versed in console gaming, though being one of the early adopters of WH40K Darktide, I also know that it's one of the first true current-gen multiplatform games. With the way the game currently runs at 1080p with medium quality raytracing on the system I have, I actually wonder if higher resolutions and RT would be mutually exclusive on the upcoming console port. Performance mode would probably not be an option for the Series S, but the Series X would probably have to target a sub-1080p resolution and the PC equivalent of Medium settings/RT Off.

Of course, it's still too early to determine how things would look, but I figured it'd be worth mentioning that 60FPS games on the PS4 and Xbox One ran at sub-1080p resolutions (hell, even some 30FPS games can't do native 1080) when those systems were still only a few years old.

Edit: my specs

Ryzen 3800X

RTX 3070

16 GB DDR4 Corsair (2666 MHz)

this is a rabbit hole subject. with many moving parts.

its not just 1 things. its many things that work as one

Sub 1080p at 30fps won't happen on PS5 or Series X. Actually i doubt that we will go back to 30fps standard ever again.

Standards increase, diminishing returns is a reality (today even games with the option of 120fps look good) and people hate to move back. Two years playing at 60fps were enough for console gamers to not accept the lack of that option as we have seen recently.

I do believe that will get a 1080p30 game here and there, but that will always be the exception and something way above the competition in graphics and scale (like a console port of Star Citizen, for example).

Not soon enough.

30 FPS is just around the corner.

The second Tuesday of next week to be precise. lol :P

Probably never.

I love how you conveniently failed to mention the specs of your system.

@techhog89: added to OP. I think it should be at least comparable to a Series X if not slightly better

console gamers have gotten used to the finer things, 60 fps, 4k DRS, ray tracing etc. Games like cyberpunk and gotham which had shit performance also sold like ass.

Consoles also have plenty of power and features that haven't been used. Things like FRS2.0, VRS, and a bunch more. Most games also have shit optimization.

yup, once the really pushing new gen only games come out, fps is the first one to get sac'd for prettier things

@girlusocrazy: I'm not a game developer and I have no clue what it means, but I'm sure different types of games will benefit from different tech. VRS2.0 likely has its place, but it's not being used at all. Only iD used it in doom, and it has a 30% performance boost on Xbox vs ps5.

Personally, I'd prefer 1080p/1440p and 60 over 4k/30 but I'm a PC gamer.

The way console players argue on Twitter and forums over resolution and graphics are why developers are drifting back to 30fps.

Stop fighting over resolution and you won't get 30fps games.

@howmakewood: my question is that with the push for real-time raytracing, is 1080p30 even a realistic goal in a few years or would we see games average out to 900p or lower? (probably not 720p on PS5/Series X tho)

@girlusocrazy: you're probably right about that, alot of this nonsense is just marketing after all. Still doesn't change the fact that ray tracing is gimmicky and not needed, theres 4k which is also a gimmick, and a lot of these new visual improvements have a huge performance cost vs what the gamer will actually appreciate with the eye test. PC is all diminishing returns.

@flashn00b: Your RAM is garbage. What the hell?

I dont think many games will be rendered at 1080P internally on the PS5 and XSX. Some, sure, but i suspect most will target 1440P with a view to using tech like FSR for upscaling (may be FSR itself or some in house tech built). I think devs will only dip their toes a bit with ray tracing for now...neither system is very good at it (it's the big sore point with RDNA2.). Using it as more of a corrective measure where traditional techniques come up short.

As for Framerate...it depends on when devs start pushing the CPU side more. I think the latest Plague Tale game cant get a 60FPS mode because the CPU in the consoles are not fast enough to deliver the underlying sim at 60FPS. Maybe it can be optimised further...i don't know. but when the framerate is dictated more my the CPU (i.e. the games underlying logic is very complex) then that's a lot harder to solve than when the GPU is the bottleneck. In a lot of cases you can't just turn gameplay elements off.

cringehog pops up, and is already raging at someone🥱

I highly doubt console are going to be pushing for the intensive RT effects and will stick to shadows/reflections, the RDNA2 just cant efficiently do like GI rt

I'm expecting some "compromises" as early as next year. Gonna see some console gpus pushed to the limit to get the 4k. Good thing is that they will likely have performance modes. Those will probably run at 1440p or lower.

Next AAAA game will take 10 years to build and it will release cross gen also on PS6 and Xbox Series X360.

Turns out it's Medievil 2 remake

@navyguy21: I agree, but don't worry man, it won't happen. We got to a point when the graphical differences between a 30fps and a 60fps game are barely visible (diminishing returns). Also 60fps became too popular lately for devs to risk not adding the option (as we have seen recently). There will always be 30fps games, but they will be more rare each new generation.

Those who believe that 30fps will become standard once devs leave 8th gen platforms are naive!

TLOU Remake Remake

Can't wait for that to be exactly the announcement we're getting for next years E3.