AMD's FSR 4.1 upscaling is coming to Xbox Series X|S

Microsoft and AMD have revealed that AMD's FSR 4.1 upscaling technology will be introduced to Xbox Series X|S consoles. Though no specific release date has been announced beyond "soon," Xbox chief technology officer Scott Van Vliet confirmed this development in a video announcement. Microsoft and AMD have been collaborating for over two decades, and they are also teaming up on Project Helix, the upcoming next-generation Xbox.

FSR 4.1 is a machine-learning-based temporal upscaler that renders games at a lower resolution and then reconstructs them at a higher one. It will also be compatible with Radeon RX 6000-series graphics cards, Gorgon Halo and Strix Halo Ryzen 9 laptops, and handheld devices such as Asus ROG Xbox Ally, which use Z2 Extreme and Z2A chips.

Developers will need to update their games to utilize FSR 4.1, so older titles won't upgrade automatically. Note that Xbox Series X|S consoles don't have dedicated machine-learning hardware, so the enhancements provided by FSR 4.1 are likely to be less impressive than those on the PS5 Pro, where Sony has implemented its own upscalers, PSSR and QSSR.

Earlier today, we reported that Project Helix, set to launch in the 2028 holiday season, is expected to cost between $1,200 and $1,800. Development teams have reportedly faced delays of at least several months, prompting pressure to expedite work using AI. However, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma emphasized that the company will not employ AI for AI's sake, and it will only be utilized as a tool for engineering and performance optimization purposes.

Additionally, we learned that Xbox is in the midst of a restructuring process, with further layoffs anticipated in November and January.