ARC Raiders received a PS5 Pro-specific visual upgrade on April 28, with a PlayStation Blog post confirming update 1.26 adds support for the newer version of PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution. For players on Sony's upgraded console, the patch is aimed at making Embark Studios' extraction shooter look sharper and more stable without lowering performance.
PSSR is Sony's machine-learning upscaling technology, built to analyze images pixel by pixel and reconstruct a cleaner high-resolution output. In ARC Raiders, the upgraded version is being used to reduce flickering, shimmering and other visual noise in the game's dense outdoor spaces, where fine environmental detail and fast-moving ARC drones can make image reconstruction harder.
The update follows ARC Raiders patch 1.24.0, though this one is much more focused on PS5 Pro image quality than broad bug fixing. Embark says the improved PSSR should preserve small details better while objects are moving, including foliage in motion and drones cutting across the screen.
The patch also targets ghosting on translucent effects, which can be a tough area for upscalers because accurate motion vectors are not available for those effects. Embark points to ARC Raiders' rain system as one example, saying it should look noticeably cleaner after the upgrade.
"With the improved PSSR we can deliver increased image quality and stability, significantly reducing visual noise in-game without any performance reductions, allowing our players to experience the game and its world with less distractions."
Technical Art Director Mikael Linderholm said the new PSSR required only minimal content fine-tuning, despite ARC Raiders' wide range of dense environments, firefights, particles and dynamic lighting. Engine Lead Robert Kihl also said the technology held up well across scenes with many small details in motion.
The PS5 base version is not getting the same PSSR change. According to Embark, standard PS5 players will continue using TSR upscaling, which remains unchanged in update 1.26.