GTA VI sets a new graphical standard on consoles with full ray tracing (global illumination, reflections, shadows) running natively at 1440p/30fps on PS5, alongside a 1080p/60fps performance mode that trims some effects.

A Hybrid Rendering Pipeline

The RAGE 9 engine combines classic rasterization with selective ray tracing, paired with an in-house image reconstruction technique close to DLSS/FSR to keep the cost of full ray tracing in check while still targeting 4K output.

  • Quality mode: native 1440p, full ray tracing, locked 30fps
  • Performance mode: 1080p + 4K reconstruction, reduced ray tracing, 60fps
  • Unlocked framerate on PS5 Pro and future consoles
  • NPC density and draw distance unprecedented for the series

This trade-off illustrates the current state of the art in console gaming tech: full ray tracing remains expensive, but image reconstruction techniques are making it viable without fully sacrificing smoothness.