Ghost of Tsushima: A Bumpy Ride for Intel’s Arc GPUs
Sony’s widely acclaimed game, Ghost of Tsushima, has finally made its way to PC. The game’s hardware support has been carefully optimized, incorporating the latest GPU features. However, there’s one glitch that Sony overlooked: compatibility with Intel’s Arc GPUs. Spoiler alert: it’s a no-go.
In order to gauge its performance, I conducted extensive testing of Ghost of Tsushima on various CPUs and GPUs. While the game has been running smoothly on most hardware configurations, Intel’s Arc GPUs have proved to be problematic. The performance has been far from satisfactory, making gameplay a less-than-ideal experience.
One peculiar aspect of running the game on Intel’s Arc A770 GPU, using the latest drivers, is the rendering anomalies. The graphics glitches include missing upper arms and suspended clothing that seemingly floats in the air, resembling a ghostly presence. It’s a throwback to the early days of graphics cards, but certainly not a desired outcome.
Interestingly, AMD and Nvidia GPUs haven’t exhibited any such issues when running Ghost of Tsushima. Nixxes, the porting team responsible for the game, also didn’t encounter these problems with their recent PC port, Horizon Forbidden West. This leads to the conclusion that Intel’s Arc GPUs were not thoroughly tested for this particular game port.
While it’s likely that Intel or Nixxes will address these bugs through driver updates or game patches, the fact remains that proper testing should have taken place prior to the release. The presence of displaced meshes and unrendered parts is typically observed in alpha or beta versions of games, not in a fully developed and optimized release.
Moving forward, I was able to play Ghost of Tsushima on an Arc A770 GPU, despite the rendering anomalies. However, the challenge lies in making the game function smoothly on certain high-performance graphics cards, which often result in crashes within seconds of launching.
Overall, Intel’s Arc GPUs have faced a bumpy ride in terms of compatibility with Ghost of Tsushima. While the game runs seamlessly on other GPUs, the glitches experienced on Intel’s Arc series highlight the importance of thorough testing and optimization for specific hardware configurations.
Additional relevant facts about Intel’s Arc GPUs and Ghost of Tsushima:
1. Intel’s Arc GPUs are the company’s first venture into the discrete gaming graphics card market. They were launched in November 2021, aiming to compete with established players like AMD and Nvidia.
2. Ghost of Tsushima is an action-adventure game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and initially released for the PlayStation 4 in 2020. It received critical acclaim for its visuals, gameplay, and storytelling.
3. The PC version of Ghost of Tsushima was highly anticipated by gamers, offering improved graphics and performance compared to the console version.
4. Compatibility issues between software and hardware are not uncommon in the gaming industry. Game developers and hardware manufacturers often work together to optimize performance and fix bugs through driver updates and patches.
5. The rendering anomalies experienced with Intel’s Arc GPUs in Ghost of Tsushima, such as missing body parts and clothing glitches, can significantly impact the player’s immersion and overall gameplay experience.
Important questions and answers:
Q1: Which GPUs have been shown to be compatible with Ghost of Tsushima?
A1: AMD and Nvidia GPUs have demonstrated compatibility with Ghost of Tsushima, while Intel’s Arc GPUs have encountered issues.
Q2: Is it possible for Intel or the game developer to fix these compatibility issues?
A2: Yes, there is a possibility that Intel or the game developer, Nixxes, may address the issues through driver updates or game patches.
Key challenges or controversies:
1. Thorough testing: The lack of thorough testing for Intel’s Arc GPUs with Ghost of Tsushima raises concerns about the quality assurance process of game ports. It is important for hardware configurations to be tested comprehensively to provide a smooth gaming experience for all users.
2. Competitive market: The compatibility issues faced by Intel’s Arc GPUs in Ghost of Tsushima could impact their position in the competitive gaming graphics card market. Gamers may choose alternative GPU options that have proven compatibility with popular games.
Advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages:
– The PC version of Ghost of Tsushima offers improved graphics and performance compared to the console version.
– AMD and Nvidia GPUs have demonstrated compatibility with the game, providing players with a smooth gaming experience.
Disadvantages:
– Intel’s Arc GPUs have encountered rendering anomalies and compatibility issues with Ghost of Tsushima, affecting gameplay and immersion.
– The glitches experienced with Intel’s Arc GPUs highlight the importance of thorough testing and optimization for specific hardware configurations.
Suggested related links:
– Sony
– Sucker Punch Productions
– AMD
– Nvidia
