Crimson Desert on Xbox Series S Appears to Run at 720p Switch-like Graphics

Recommended products

This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Digital Foundry’s analysis of Crimson Desert on Xbox Series consoles reveals a stark contrast in performance, particularly highlighting significant issues on the Xbox Series S. While the team noted they nearly deemed the Series S version unplayable, they ultimately concluded that the game remains a viable option, mainly in Quality mode. To make the game playable on the Xbox Series S, developers drastically reduced visual effects, removing ray tracing and setting all other settings (textures, shadows, and model quality) to the equivalent of low-end PC settings. Here’s a breakdown of the two graphics modes: Performance Mode (40fps cap for 120Hz screens): On the Xbox Series S, this mode reduces visual effects to match a low-end PC. It uses only Temporal Anti-Aliasing (TAA) and has a native resolution of 720p, without any additional upscaling. Digital Foundry described the resulting highly pixelated image as resembling a Nintendo Switch port. Although maintaining the 40fps target avoids stressing the CPU, the visual sacrifices make this mode unappealing.

Quality Mode (30fps): This mode produces a 1080p image but suffers from noticeable flaws, including sudden vegetation pop-in, poor shadow and interior lighting filtering, and a general lack of detail. While it can maintain 30fps in outdoor areas, performance drops to around 20fps in large cities or during multi-enemy fights. The Xbox Series X generally fares better. However, the more powerful console also struggles in areas with many NPCs due to CPU limitations. Heavy Zones and Tearing: Frame rates in large cities and Bug Hill can drop to 30fps or lower, causing screen tearing as the frame rate falls outside the VRR action window. Balanced Mode: While the Series X slightly outperforms the base PlayStation 5 in this mode, it still frequently drops below the targeted 40fps in busy cities and combat scenes. Quality Mode (30fps): Considered the most stable option, it can still experience drops and become overloaded during swimming, fighting, or exploring dense areas. The Xbox Series X version has been improved by a recent 4K patch, which introduced 4K upscaling.

PlayStation 5 Advised for Smooth Crimson Desert Gameplay; Xbox Series X Needs Optimization over Series S, Consider Crysis Remastered Instead

Digital Foundry concludes that the PlayStation 5 is the preferred console for playing Crimson Desert, but the Series X matches the base PS5’s overall performance and is recommended over the Series S. However, Digital Foundry also notes that while the Xbox Series X version is reasonably playable with the recent patches, it would benefit from further optimization to reduce input latency, avoid tearing, and stabilize performance in CPU-intensive areas. The warning is more severe for Series S owners, with Digital Foundry advising players to avoid the drastically limited Series S version if they have alternative platforms to play on. As an alternative, Digital Foundry recommends Crysis Remastered. Originally released on PC in July 2020 and optimized for consoles since, it features higher-resolution textures, improved art assets, and temporal anti-aliasing for a more detailed and smoother gaming experience. Developed by Saber Interactive and published by Crytek, Crysis Remastered was released on October 15, 2020, for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

In Case You Missed It

While we’re discussing upcoming gaming delights, let me draw your attention to three recent articles from PlayersForLife that you might find fascinating. Firstly, Bruno Pferd has just published a comprehensive deep dive into “Crimson Desert Announces Multiple Improvements by June”. In this insightful piece, published last month, Bruno explores Pearl Abyss’ plans to enhance your gaming experience with new pets, mounts, and numerous quality-of-life improvements, all based on player feedback Crimson Desert Announces Multiple Improvements by June. Secondly, Jonathan Dubinski’s latest article from April 10th, “Epic Games Working on Disney-Themed Extraction Shooter”, delves into rumors surrounding Epic Games’ collaboration with The Walt Disney Company. Could we be seeing a new extraction shooter game set in the magical world of Disney as early as next November? Find out more about this multimillion-dollar project and its potential impact on Fortnite’s ecosystem here: Epic Games Working on Disney-Themed Extraction Shooter. Lastly, Ahmed Hassan explores the shifting sands of Funcom’s survival MMO, Dune: Awakening, in his article published on April 10th. Here, he discusses how the game is pivoting towards a more PVE-focused experience due to player preferences observed since its launch last June. With patch 1.3.20.0 on the horizon, get ready for disabled PvP zones and pure survival experiences in the Deep Desert. Check out “Dune: Awakening Shifts Focus to PVE Following Majority’s Rejection of PVP” for all the details Dune: Awakening Shifts Focus to PvE Following Majority’s Rejection of PvP.