Nvidia will launch DLSS 5 in NBA 2K27 on September 3 at 9pm Pacific Time, with support limited at launch to GeForce RTX 50 Series desktop and laptop GPUs and GeForce NOW Ultimate.
The release is the first public deployment of DLSS 5, Nvidia’s new 3D-Guided Neural Rendering system. Unlike earlier DLSS features built mainly around upscaling, frame generation and ray-traced image reconstruction, DLSS 5 uses the game engine’s rendered frame as a foundation for adding lighting and material detail in real time.
DLSS 5 NBA 2K27 support starts with RTX 50 Series
Nvidia says DLSS 5 will be available in NBA 2K27 from September 3 at 9pm PT on RTX 50 Series PCs and laptops. It will also be available to GeForce NOW Ultimate members streaming from Nvidia-operated RTX 5080 cloud machines. The feature will require a new GeForce Game Ready Driver released at the same time.
Nvidia’s comparisons show NBA 2K27 running at up to 370 frames per second at 4K with ray tracing and the Ultra preset on an RTX 5090 using the full DLSS feature set. Nvidia says the game can reach up to 590fps at 1440p on the same card, although those figures combine DLSS 5 with Super Resolution and Multi Frame Generation.
The company says DLSS 5 adds details such as skin subsurface scattering, contact shadows and light passing through hair. Visual Concepts senior producer Peter Kavic said the technology “helped boost the visual quality of our materials and lighting, bringing a real jump to photorealism across the game”, according to Nvidia’s announcement.
Why DLSS 5 is still controversial
DLSS 5 drew criticism when Nvidia showed it in March because some comparisons appeared to change the look of game characters and move away from the original art direction. The Verge reports that NBA 2K27 is currently the only game with confirmed DLSS 5 support, while previously shown titles such as Resident Evil Requiem, EA Sports FC, Starfield and Hogwarts Legacy have not received it.
Nvidia says developers can choose different models and control where the system is applied, including separate settings for gameplay, cutscenes and individual scenes. Whether those controls settle the argument will depend on how other studios use them. For now, NBA 2K27 is the test case, and RTX 50 owners get to run it first.
What to know about DLSS 5 NBA 2K27
DLSS 5 launches in NBA 2K27 on September 3 at 9pm PT. It is supported on GeForce RTX 50 Series desktop and laptop GPUs and through GeForce NOW Ultimate at launch.
The feature is optional. After installing the new Game Ready Driver, players can enable “DLSS Neural Rendering” in the game’s Video Settings menu and adjust the other DLSS options separately.
Nvidia has not confirmed when DLSS 5 will arrive in the other games shown during its original announcement.
Read how Nvidia’s earlier DLSS 4.5 update changes ray reconstruction in PC games.
When does DLSS 5 launch in NBA 2K27?
DLSS 5 launches in NBA 2K27 on September 3 at 9pm Pacific Time. Players will also need the new GeForce Game Ready Driver released at that time.
Which GPUs support DLSS 5 in NBA 2K27?
DLSS 5 is supported at launch on GeForce RTX 50 Series desktop and laptop GPUs. It is also available through GeForce NOW Ultimate on Nvidia’s RTX 5080-powered cloud systems.
Will DLSS 5 come to other games?
Nvidia has not confirmed a release date for other games. Titles shown during the original DLSS 5 announcement, including Resident Evil Requiem, EA Sports FC, Starfield and Hogwarts Legacy, do not have confirmed support at launch.
