Cyberpunk 2077 is set to get path-tracing with the RT Overdrive update next week. Featuring a slew of path-traced technologies, including multi-bounce ambient occlusion, reflections, and shadows, it will significantly increase the game’s visual fidelity. Conversely, it’ll tank the performance, cutting it by more than half. Therefore, an NVIDIA RTX 40 series GPU will be required to play the game at desirable frame rates.
Looking at the comparisons, we can see that path tracing can make a world of difference in interiors. Indirect light bounces take global illumination to the next level, especially in ambient shadows.
Unfortunately, the benefits of path tracing aren’t as prominent in outdoor scenes. Check the above and below comparisons. While path tracing does render the lighting correctly with more detail, it’s not quite something most players with notice, unlike the other example.
Regarding performance, DLSS 3 is a must if you want to render the game at decent frame rates. Without it, the mighty RTX 4090 manages an average of only 17 FPS. With the upscaler enabled, you get an impressive 131 FPS, allowing smooth gameplay even at high refresh rate monitors.
