PS4 Racing Game Achieves 120FPS on PC Through Optimized Emulator Build
A specialized version of the shadPS4 emulator now allows the PS4 exclusive Driveclub to run at 120 frames per second on PC, a significant improvement over the standard emulator's 60FPS performance. The optimized GR2fork EXODUS build achieves this through better resource utilization, with GPU and CPU usage reaching 74% and 56% respectively, compared to the original build's bottlenecks. This development makes the game more accessible to PC players and demonstrates the potential for further emulator optimization.
The optimization breakthrough stems from architectural improvements in the GR2fork EXODUS variant of the shadPS4 emulator, which better distributes computational workload across system resources. By increasing GPU utilization from 47% to 74% and CPU usage from 27% to 56%, the specialized build eliminates bottlenecks that previously constrained performance. Testing used high-end hardware (Ryzen 7 9800X3D and RTX 4080), though the article notes that lower-tier systems may still run the game adequately.
The article speculates that future community-driven ports of other PS4 exclusives could build upon this emulator foundation, potentially bundling modern PC features like enhanced graphics settings and native controller support that the original console versions lack.
This development could impact players who previously couldn't access PS4 exclusives on their preferred platform, potentially expanding audiences for legacy titles. The broader implications may include increased pressure on publishers to consider PC releases for console exclusives and questions about emulation's role in game preservation. However, the story also touches on ongoing technical and legal complexities surrounding emulation legality and intellectual property concerns that remain unresolved within the gaming industry.