Grand Theft Auto V just keeps getting better—and not because of Rockstar Games. A modder called “NarutoUA” added support for AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), the cross-platform upscaling technology that finally debuted at Computex 2021, to the game even though AMD has yet to release FSR’s source code to the public.
NarutoUA’s implementation of FSR replaces the image upscaling engine built into GTA V. The mod allows players to choose from four different configurations—Performance Mode, Balanced Mode, Quality Mode, and Ultra Quality Mode—using the in-game graphics settings. Here’s a video showing the mod in action:
This is notable for a few reasons. The first is that an eight-year-old game can enjoy noticeable improvements to its performance and presentation after one person implemented a graphics technology that debuted a month ago. Intel used AI for GTAV in May, but that was a well-funded project that involved an entire team.
The second reason: FSR isn’t open source yet. AMD plans to make its source code public “in mid-July,” according to the company’s GPU Open website, but right now, it’s limited to AMD’s partners. NarutoUA said on Reddit that the mod was created using “precompiled shaders from another game.” A native solution might look even better.
This mod also demonstrates the value of using an open-source, cross-platform solution like FSR rather than a proprietary technology like Nvidia DLSS. Of course, both solutions have their advantages and disadvantages, as we learned when we tested FSR in June, but it seems FSR could be easier for modders to experiment with.
NarutoUA shared the mod’s source code, additional comparison shots, and installation instructions to GitHub. So continues the legacy of one person dragging GTA V into the modern era while Rockstar Games prepares the sixth installment in the series for release… sometime in 2025. Hopefully, we’ll still have modders like NarutoUA around to implement new technologies in GTA VI in 2033.
