At SIGGRAPH 2026, NVIDIA shared some new comparisons for the latest version of its DLSS tech, DLSS 5. In addition, the green team shared some additional details and re-confirmed everything it had stated back in March 2026.
DLSS 5 introduces a real-time neural rendering model that infuses pixels with photoreal lighting and materials. DLSS 5 aims to empower game developers to deliver a new level of photoreal computer graphics previously only achieved in Hollywood visual effects. Or at least that’s what NVIDIA claims.
DLSS 5 will take a game’s color and motion vectors for each frame as input. It will then use an AI model to infuse the scene with photoreal lighting and materials that are anchored to source 3D content and consistent from frame to frame. DLSS 5 will run in real time at up to 4K resolution for smooth, interactive gameplay.
In this video, we get to see some of the DLSS 5 tools developers can use. DLSS 5 currently includes three models. These are Model A, Model B, and Model C. Developers can also adjust the effect on separate characters and objects. This means that some devs can only enhance the environments and not the characters. Or they can enhance the clothes of characters and not their faces.
What’s important to note here is that the devs will have control over what they can enhance. Here’s a shot of the dev tools.
A lot of influencers were bashing DLSS 5 when it was first announced. That negative reaction was mainly for the clicks. And, in case you’re wondering, no. My opinion about DLSS 5 has not changed. I still find it interesting. And no. NVIDIA has not changed DLSS 5 due to the backlash. This is, EXACTLY, what DLSS 5 was from the beginning.
In a way, this DLSS 5 backlash reminds me of the “crunch backlash” we had a few years ago. New flash, people. Your favourite games were a result of crunch culture, but you did not care when they came out. Quake was a crunch-fest, Doom was, Halo was a development hell, most of Bioware’s games were, and the list goes on and on. Yet people did not care about the crunch culture back then, and they did not boycott games that were a result of it. So, what changed? YouTube and social media have arisen, from which people can make money.
Hell, if we had today’s “influencers” back in the 3DFX and GLIDE days, they would be bashing 3DFX for using its own API. Yeah, people have become THAT dumb in 2026. Thank God I lived those golden days, even though we were changing 3D graphics cards EVERY SIX MONTHS.
Bottom line is that the DLSS 5 shots in these latest comparisons look better. And, as a gamer, that’s the only thing I care about. I still believe NVIDIA should have given this technology a different name. This is not what DLSS was originally meant to be. It is an impressive tech, but I do not think it should be called DLSS. I believe we all agree on this.
And no. DLSS 5 will NOT replace game engine rendering. It can only enhance it. So, spare me those idiotic “What will happen when devs use DLSS 5 as mandatory?” comments. This is like saying Reshade will replace game engines. It’s THAT dumb. It’s also optional. If you don’t like it, don’t use it. No one is forcing it on you.
NVIDIA has stated that DLSS 5 will become available in Fall 2026. The first games that will support it are AION 2, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Black State, CINDER CITY, Delta Force, Hogwarts Legacy, Justice, NARAKA: BLADEPOINT, NTE: Neverness to Everness, Phantom Blade Zero, Resident Evil Requiem, Sea of Remnants, Starfield, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, and Where Winds Meet.
Stay tuned for more!
John is the founder and Editor in Chief at DSOGaming. He is a PC gaming fan and highly supports the modding and indie communities. Before creating DSOGaming, John worked on numerous gaming websites. While he is a die-hard PC gamer, his gaming roots can be found on consoles. John loved – and still does – the 16-bit consoles, and considers SNES to be one of the best consoles. Still, the PC platform won him over consoles. That was mainly due to 3DFX and its iconic dedicated 3D accelerator graphics card, Voodoo 2. John has also written a higher degree thesis on the “The Evolution of PC graphics cards.”
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