Starfield DLSS update now out of beta, has optimizations and fixes for all platforms

Bethesda's newest RPG experience, Starfield, has been going through a special beta on Steam for PC players recently. After spending two weeks in this branch, the update has now been deemed ready for all players, and that's exactly what's available right now as Starfield Update 1.8.86.

Easily the biggest aspect of this release is the addition of official NVIDIA DLSS support, one of the most requested features by the PC community. The implementation carries the full stack of features from the tech, bringing DLSS Super Resolution, Deep Learning Anti-aliasing (DLAA), Nvidia Reflex Low Latency, and DLSS Frame generation for supported graphics cards from NVIDIA's camp.

Bethesda has mentioned previously that AMD's DLSS 3 equivalent tech, FidelityFX Super Resolution 3, will also receive support. However, no launch timeframe has been given for this GPU vendor-agnostic option's release yet.

While not a big change, Starfield players will also be able to eat or drink food they come across in the universe without having to pick them up first. Everything from Chunks to Space Ramen packs can be ingested or put in the inventory when hovering over them.

Today's update includes a whole lot of performance fixes aside from the upscaling variant too. Stealth players should also find that it's a bit easier to sneak around more without getting detected. Here are the full patch notes:

• Performance And Stability
  • Addressed a number of memory related issues and leaks.
  • Added some GPU performance optimizations, which will be more impactful on higher end cards.
  • Improved renderer threading model, improving CPU usage most notably on higher end systems.
  • Various stability and performance improvements.
• Gameplay
  • Added the ability to eat the food placed in the world.
  • Adjusted stealth to be a bit more forgiving.
  • Fixed an issue where Andreja’s head would stay permanently cloaked.
  • Fixed an issue that could prevent players from firing their weapons.
  • Fixed issues where some NPC could be seen not wearing clothes (Note: This issue may resolve itself over time).
  • Fixed an issue where already in-progress skill challenges could stop progressing after reaching the Unity and starting a new game.
  • Fixed an issue that could temporarily prevent opening the inventory or saving after entering the Unity.
  • PC: Fixed an issue where mouse movement could be choppy.
  • Fixed a rare issue that could cause the home ship to be lost.
  • Fixed an issue where the ship services technician might be missing.
  • Fixed an issue where occasionally the camera could shake incorrectly during Traveling, Grav Jumping, Docking, or Landing transitions.
• Graphics
  • Addressed an issue with how ambient occlusion appeared in ultrawide resolutions.
  • Optimized initial shader compilation that occurs on start-up.
  • Added the ability to adjust Brightness and Contrast in the Display Settings menu.
  • Added the ability to adjust HDR Brightness provided that the system supports it. (Xbox & Windows 11 only).
  • Addressed a number of materials that could sometimes present an unintended pattern under certain conditions.
  • Fixed various visual issues related to the new FOV slider options.
  • Improved the appearance of the eyes on crowd characters.
  • Addressed a number of minor visual issues related to lighting, shadows, terrain, and vegetation.
  • PC: Addressed additional visual issues related to DLSS.
• Quests
  • All That Money Can Buy: Fixed a rare issue where players couldn’t sit during the negotiation with Musgrove.
  • Blast Zone: Fixed an issue where the hard rocks that need to be cleared out by players will not appear on Ngodup Tate’s land.
  • Echoes of the Past: Fixed an issue where the Grylloba Queen could sometimes not be reachable during the objective “Secure the Shuttle Bay”.
  • Eye of the Storm: Fixed an issue where players' quest progression could potentially be blocked due to a missing docking prompt.
  • Grunt Work: Addressed an issue where progress could appear blocked if “Supra et Ultra” was completed while returning to the Lodge during “High Price to Pay”.
  • No Sudden Moves: Fixed an issue that could prevent the entrance door to the Scow ship from being opened again.
  • Operation Starseed: Fixed an issue where the key that is needed to exit the facility could sometimes not be present.
  • Sabotage: Fixed an issue where David Barron could potentially not be found by players.
  • Short Sighted: Fixed an issue where players could rarely become control-locked while speaking with Vladimir.
  • The Heart of Mars: Fixed an issue where players might not be able to mine the “The Heart of Mars”.

Starfield Update 1.8.86 is now available across PC (Steam, Microsoft Store) and Xbox Series X|S, weighing in around 15GB.

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