Nvidia launches DLSS 5 on September 3, starting with NBA 2K27

In short: Nvidia says its DLSS 5 graphics feature will be available starting September 3, and the first game to ship with it is NBA 2K27 on PC.

What happened

Nvidia is officially launching DLSS 5 this week, according to reporting by The Verge. DLSS stands for Deep Learning Super Sampling, which is Nvidia’s way of using AI to help games look sharper or run faster (like filling in missing pixels the way a TV tries to smooth video).

The Verge reports that DLSS 5 will be officially available on Nvidia’s RTX 50-series graphics cards, both desktop and laptop models. It will also be available through GeForce Now, Nvidia’s cloud gaming service, which lets you stream a game from Nvidia’s computers instead of running it fully on your own.

For now, only one game is confirmed to include DLSS 5 at launch, NBA 2K27. The Verge says the PC version of NBA 2K27 launches on September 3 at 9PM PT.

The technology has been controversial since Nvidia announced it in March. The Verge notes that some examples shared by Nvidia were criticized because they appeared to change how characters’ faces looked, not just improve image quality. The Verge also reports that Nvidia did not answer questions about when DLSS 5 might come to other games, including titles shown earlier like EA Sports FC, Starfield, and Hogwarts Legacy.

Why it matters

If you play PC games, this launch could affect what you need to buy to get certain visuals. DLSS 5 is officially tied to newer, more powerful RTX 50-series hardware, so many people may not be able to use it right away. It also raises a simple question for players, do you want AI to only improve performance, or are you okay if it also changes how the game’s characters look?

Source: The Verge AI