How God of War Ragnarök was ported to PC

God of War Ragnarök PC port features graphical upgrades, solves shader stutter issues, and adapts to various PC hardware limits.

: God of War Ragnarök's PC port includes numerous graphical enhancements and new features. Developers from Sony Santa Monica and Jetpack Interactive worked on ensuring the game scales beyond PS5 capabilities and avoids shader compilation stutter. Engine optimization for DirectX 12 and efficient VRAM usage were crucial components. Despite challenges, the port was handled by a small team and promises a strong gaming experience.

God of War Ragnarök's adaptation to PC offers improved graphics and new features specific to the platform. Alex Battaglia interviewed Matt DeWald from Sony Santa Monica and Steve Tolin from Jetpack Interactive, who shared their technical insights into the porting process. The team aimed for scaling well beyond console versions, avoiding issues like shader compilation stutter, and managing modern hybrid CPUs efficiently.

Porting involved transitioning the engine to DirectX 12, which provided significant performance gains. Techniques such as bindless resource management and pre-built PSOs were employed to optimize performance. Handling asset compression and VRAM budgets on various GPUs was also a consideration, leading to a flexible system that adapts to available resources.

Additionally, the project saw extensive work on animations and UI to support ultra-wide aspect ratios and diverse PC setups. With a small dedicated team, the game also scales from PS4 quality to an ultra setting on PC, ensuring an exceptional experience. Both developers expressed satisfaction in bringing the game to a new audience and are keen on integrating feedback for future improvements.

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