According to a FAQ, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice will receive a PC update, but no PlayStation 5 version is planned. This announcement comes on the heels of Ninja Theory’s release of a Hellblade optimization patch for Xbox Series X|S, which included DirectX Raytracing, better graphics, Chapter Select options, updated textures, and other performance-related features.
The Performance Mode on the Xbox Series X, for example, may achieve 1080p at 120fps. On the other hand, Resolution Mode in the upgrade aims for “dynamic up to 4K” at 60 frames per second. According to a chart on the game’s official homepage, the Enriched gameplay option emphasizes ray-tracing by hitting dynamic up to 4K at 30fps. These modifications should help to improve an already visually stunning experience. Fans on other platforms are now wondering if their favorite version will get a boost as well.
According to a FAQ on the game’s website, Ninja Theory, the company behind Hellblade’s Switch version, helped create the newly announced Xbox Series X|S update. According to the FAQ, the enhancements will eventually make their way to PC and are “currently in development,” according to the FAQ.
However, “there are no plans to bring this update to any other platform at this time,” so PlayStation 5 owners shouldn’t hold their breath for a better version of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice.
This may be perplexing to some for a variety of reasons. Hellblade was first released on PlayStation 4 and PC in August 2017, before making its way to Xbox platforms the following Spring. The fact that Microsoft now owns Ninja Theory might explain the decision, although DOOM Eternal and The Elder Scrolls Online, both of which are also Microsoft IPs, just received free PS5 upgrades.
Something else is likely preventing a PS5 upgrade, maybe even on the hardware front. As many of you may recall, the PS5 version of Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 was the only one that developer CI Games postponed until June.
Biomutant could only run at 1080p on the PS5 at launch due to stability and performance concerns. (The sequel will hit Sony’s new platform on August 24.) Could Hellblade’s lack of native PlayStation 5 compatibility be due to similar issues? That much is still a mystery as of this writing.
