Before its reveal, many were hoping that Destiny 2 would target 60fps, at least on the new mid-gen upgraded PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X. However, even after leaving behind the PS3 and Xbox 360, it was announced that the hotly-anticipated sequel would be running at 30fps, instead using the new consoles’ power to boost resolution and additional visual enhancements. According to Bungie, the consoles’ CPUs were causing a bottleneck.
Many players weren’t happy with this, and took to forums to complain. In an interview with EDGE, Destiny 2‘s Excutive Producer Mark Noseworthy provided an expanded explanation on why Destiny 2 runs at 30fps on consoles, and what it would take to make a Destiny console game run at 60fps:
“It’s about the simulation of the Destiny world. Thirty AI at once, large open spaces, six players, sometimes with vehicles, and dropships coming in; that’s where we’re using the CPU.
Could we make a Destiny game that ran at 60 fps? Yes, but the space would be smaller, it would be less cooperative, and there’d be fewer monsters to shoot. That’s not the game we want to make.
First and foremost, we’re trying to make an incredible action game. We don’t feel we’ve been held back by the choices we’ve made about world simulation versus frame rate; in fact, we think we’re offering a player experience you can’t have elsewhere because of the choices we’re making.”
He went on to explain that, if you really want a Destiny 2 60fps experience, you can invest in a PC:
“But if frame rate is something that’s really important to you, there is a platform now where you can spend as much money as you want, to go as fast as you want.”
With most first-person shooters targeting 60fps as a priority, I can see how Bungie is coming under fire here. However, Destiny 2 is trying to push boundaries where other shooters aren’t. I guess, ultimately, it’s the console players who will decide if forgoing a smooth frame-rate is worth it!
Are you happy playing Destiny 2 on consoles at 30fps? Or would you sacrifice visual flair for a smoother experience?
In Destiny 2 PC news, Bungie has apparently been treating “master race” players “like first class citizens since the first day of development.” If you’re one of those “first class citizens,” you should enter our giveaway to win a PC beta code!
Source: EDGE (Issue #310)