Skyrim: Special Edition is 1080p, 30fps on Consoles
By Sarah Fields 01 November 2016
A new report examines Skyrim: Special Edition and determines that both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One display the game at 1080p, at a steady 30 frames per second.
Gamers who previously played Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim were pleased to hear that a remastered version would be coming to the PS4 and Xbox One, complete with mod support. However, a new report reveals that the game displays at a full 1080p, but its frame rate is capped at 30.
The good news for console fans is that Skyrim: Special Edition holds steady at 30 FPS on both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. According to a report from Digital Foundry, the game doesn’t lag or struggle on either system, even when a great deal of activity is happening on-screen. Digital Foundry also indicated that the Xbox One may be capable of going a bit beyond 30 FPS, but neither system is anywhere near powerful enough to reach 60 FPS. This is especially surprising since the max PC recommendations for Skyrim: Special Edition are fairly low.
Skyrim: Special Edition does run at a full 1080p, but some fans have complained that the art assets appear to simply be upscaled from the game’s prior release, rather than being remodeled or retextured. While Skyrim: Special Edition looks drastically better than the original PS3 and Xbox 360 releases, this may be an issue for PlayStation fans, as the game will receive a 4K update once the PlayStation 4 Pro is released. While the game looks good at 1080p, it may not hold up to scrutiny at that high of a resolution.
Like nearly any Bethesda game, Skyrim: Special Edition‘s release hasn’t been without a few bumps in the road. While Skyrim: Special Edition for PS4 did end up getting mod support it was initially promised, the mods are far more limited than the Xbox One counterpart, limiting players to installing mods that solely use in-game assets. In addition, PC and Xbox One gamers have complained that the audio for Skyrim: Special Edition is actually inferior to the original release of Skyrim from back in 2011. While Bethesda is already working on a patch to repair the problem, the game’s flaws and unbalanced experience across systems may have already seriously disappointed some gamers.
Some console gamers are undoubtedly displeased that Skyrim: Special Edition isn’t delivering a 60FPS experience like PC players have access to. However, the Special Edition is still an upgrade from the original release for the last generation of consoles, so at least console gamers are receiving some form of graphical boost rather than a pure port.
Be sure to check out our guides for Skyrim: Special Edition!
- How to Get Mods on Xbox One
- How to Join the Dark Brotherhood
- How to Get Unique Weapons
Skyrim: Special Edition is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Source: Digital Foundry
