- Broken Roads Post-Apocalyptic Australian RPG Announced for November 14 - September 13, 2023
- Baldur’s Gate 3 Player Uncovers Secret Ridiculous Game Over Screen - September 13, 2023
- Baldur’s Gate 3 Developer Reveals Bug Responsible for Promiscuous Companions - September 6, 2023
Starfield’s popular DLSS3 mod designed to graphically overhaul non-AMD players’ experiences is falling into hot water and piracy after setting its mod behind a paywall.
To specify, Kotaku details how a Bethesda partnership with AMD led to the company hiding Nvidia and Intel users’ upscaling ability for better resolution and performance.
Though the ability to use non-AMD technology is still in Starfield, players cannot access it in-game, and non-AMD must deal with more graphical problems throughout their playthrough.
Luckily, the Verge details, Starfield modder PureDark creating the so-called “Starfield Upscaler,” the currently most popular mod for Starfield on NexusMods that adds support for DLSS and XeSS (essentially graphical upscaling) and has been downloaded by over 150,000 players.
While PureDark continued to add support for DLSS3, they implemented a $5 Patreon paywall for the new version of the mod, leading to public outrage from players demanding it be free.
However, though PureDark tried to protect their mod with DRM, IGN adds that players cracked the protections mere hours after the mod’s release, prompting users to pirate the mod on mass.
Even as PureDark continues to charge prospective players on their Patreon, Starfield players can effortlessly log onto the forums and access the crack to protest the addition of paid mods and save themselves a measly $5.
Will the Starfield Upscaler remain behind a paywall?
Yes. Despite the crack, IGN indicates Puredark has refused to reverse the paywall.
However, Starfield players can still enjoy the free version of Starfield Upscaler for DLSS2 if they look at Nexus Mods and are okay with a slightly graphically subpar playthrough with challenging performance.
Though players could hypothetically leverage the piracy crack to save themselves $5 if they explore less scrupulous forums, it can be a less-than-savory experience with potentially illicit interactions.
Even so, paid mods have always been a heated topic, and setting a precedent of supporting paid mods for the future could come back to bite Starfield players unwilling to forfeit money for an almost necessary mod.
It’s horrifying to imagine players forced to pay to add Skyrim dragons and Fallout super mutants into their silly space Odyssey.
Further Reading
Interested in more Space Piracy and modding mayhem? Check out the articles below for more news, reviews, and RPG-flavored treats!