Battlefield 6 Ditches Ray Tracing for Performance Boost

When players dove into the recent Battlefield 6 beta weekends, something striking stood out. There was no mention or trace of ray tracing options in the graphics settings, a feature many expected to see given the game’s predecessors. Despite speculation, Comicbook.com confirmed with Christian Buhl, Studio Technical Director at Ripple Effect (previously DICE LA), that ray tracing will not be part of the game at launch. Buhl stated, “We are not going to have ray tracing when the game launches, and we don’t have any plans for it in the near future either.” He explained that the decision was made early on to prioritize performance over adding visual effects like ray tracing. The goal, according to Buhl, is to ensure that the game runs smoothly on default settings, providing a consistent experience for as many players as possible.

This decision does feel like a step back considering that Battlefield V was one of the first PC titles to showcase ray tracing support back in 2018, specifically offering ray-traced reflections. Following that, Battlefield 2042 introduced ray-traced ambient occlusion, though it had its own set of issues. Now, with the emphasis on performance, the lack of ray tracing in Battlefield 6 highlights the team’s shift towards making the game as optimized as possible.

It’s easy to see why the developers made this call, especially when it comes to a competitive multiplayer shooter. The primary goal is ensuring players can enjoy a smooth, lag-free experience, especially in fast-paced environments where every frame counts. Battlefield 6‘s beta attracted more players than any previous game in the series, a testament to the importance of performance and the appeal of the core gameplay mechanics. GeForce users will be able to further boost performance using NVIDIA’s DLSS Super Resolution, Frame Generation, and Multi Frame Generation. Meanwhile, AMD users can benefit from FSR 3 with Frame Generation, and Intel players have access to XeSS with XeSS Frame Generation.

But this approach comes at a visual cost. Players used to the stunning visuals of previous Battlefield titles may feel underwhelmed by the graphics in the current game. Some have even noted that the visuals seem to belong to an era of gaming a decade ago. Despite this, many believe that the focus on performance will lead to a more enjoyable, competitive experience overall. The full game will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S|X starting October 10.