A Rare Modern Shooter Without Upscaling Finally Catches Up
Helldivers 2 has been a curious outlier since launch, shipping without official support for major upscaling technologies such as NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, or Intel XeSS. That gap closes on May 27 with Arrowhead’s “Optimizing Liberty” update, developed in collaboration with PC port specialists Nixxes. The studio describes this patch as the opening salvo in an ongoing campaign to improve performance, centered on three pillars: stability, latency reduction, and advanced upscaling technologies. For players, this means the game is finally aligned with what has become standard in modern PC and console releases: smarter image reconstruction instead of brute-force rendering. The changes arrive alongside broader visual optimizations and platform-specific enhancements, laying the groundwork for future tech-focused updates this summer and potentially more advanced features like ray tracing or even frame generation down the line.
Helldivers 2 DLSS Support, FSR 4.03 Upscaling, and XeSS on PC
On PC, the update transforms how Helldivers 2 renders each frame. The game now supports NVIDIA DLSS 4.5, AMD FSR 4.0.3 for high-end GPUs plus FSR 3.1.5, and Intel XeSS 3.0. This multi-vendor approach gives players across different GPU architectures genuine choice instead of a one-size-fits-all solution. Compared to the current unnamed in-game upscaler—which critics have called an eyesore by today’s standards—these technologies promise sharper edges, cleaner distant detail, and fewer shimmering artifacts, all while boosting frame rates. DLSS users can expect particularly strong results on RTX hardware, while FSR and XeSS broaden the benefits to AMD and Intel GPUs as well as older or mid-range cards. Together, these options make it far easier to target higher refresh rates or more demanding graphics presets without sacrificing clarity.
PSSR PlayStation 5 Pro and Console-Side Optimization Gains
The Optimizing Liberty patch is not just a PC story. On consoles, Arrowhead is rolling out platform-specific enhancements that should make Helldivers 2 feel smoother and more responsive. Standard PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions gain AMD FSR 3.1, while PlayStation 5 Pro uses Sony’s PSSR 1.0 upscaler. That latter choice is a double-edged sword: it gives Pro owners a dedicated reconstruction solution, but some will be disappointed that the latest iteration of PSSR is not yet supported. Beyond upscaling, the patch introduces Variable Refresh Rate support on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro, reducing stutter and tearing on compatible displays. Resolution targets are also raised, with the Performance preset on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X now aiming for 1440p, and the Quality preset boosted on PlayStation 5 Power Saving Mode, all backed by Dynamic Resolution Scaling to keep frame rates more stable.
Latency Reduction: NVIDIA Reflex, AMD Anti-Lag 2, and VR Tricks
Arrowhead is pairing image-quality upgrades with tools to reduce input delay, a key advantage in a frenetic co-op shooter. On PC, Helldivers 2 is gaining support for NVIDIA Reflex and AMD Anti-Lag 2, both designed to shorten the time between a player’s input and what they see on screen. This can make aiming, dodging, and reacting to sudden threats feel distinctly snappier, especially at lower or fluctuating frame rates. Across platforms, Variable Rate Shading intelligently lowers shading detail in less noticeable parts of the image to free GPU resources, squeezing out a few extra frames without a big visual hit. The combination of VRR on supported consoles and VRS on all devices helps smooth out performance spikes and micro-stutters. While frame generation is notably absent for now, the current changes clearly lay groundwork for more advanced latency and performance features in future patches.
Which Upscaling Mode You Should Use for Better Frame Rates
With Helldivers 2 now supporting DLSS, FSR 4.03 upscaling, XeSS, and PSSR, choosing the right option depends on your hardware and priorities. On PC, RTX owners should start with DLSS 4.5, typically the best balance of performance and crispness, especially at higher resolutions. AMD GPU users can experiment with FSR 4.0.3 on supported cards or fall back to FSR 3.1.5; both are substantial upgrades over the old in-game scaler. Intel Arc users should naturally lean toward XeSS 3.0, though it may also benefit some non-Intel GPUs. Console players mostly rely on the default settings: FSR 3.1 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, and PSSR 1.0 on PlayStation 5 Pro. For competitive play, target performance presets with upscaling enabled; for more cinematic sessions, step up resolution or quality modes and let Dynamic Resolution Scaling and VRR smooth out the action.