Nvidia’s controversial DLSS 5, which will bring AI-powered photorealism to PC games, is expected to launch this fall. But it looks like the feature leaked early, paving the way for the modding community to experiment and add it to various games.
The leak occurredfile called DLSSNR, a reference to neural rendering, the AI model Nvidia uses to power the feature
The file is also a dynamic link library (DLL), a software library that can be used by multiple programs. The community behind the RenoDX graphics mod toolkit began tinkering with the file and realized it could be used in the PC game Control to turn DLSS 5 on or off
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The community has created DLSS 5 mods for a growing crop of games, including The Last of Us Part II and Elden Ring, resulting in images and videos of the unreleased Nvidia feature flooding social media.
The modders in the RenoDX Discord chat server say that the experimental DLSS 5 can only be used on RTX 5000-series GPUs, although some are figuring out how to use it on older RX 4000 GPUs. Another downside is that DLSS 5 can cause a game’s frame rates to drop by 40-60%, depending on the title and GPU. The chat server has been circulating the required files to get the feature working and sharing mods for various games.
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So far, Nvidia hasn’t responded to a request for comment. But ironically, the DLSS 5 leak might change some gamers’ opinions about it, as some point to the impressive realism. But others say the feature still operates like a heavy photo filter and goes too far in altering the look of a character. “That’s a different person, man,” wrote one user on Reddit.
(Credit: Discord RenoDX user TheUnknow1010 )
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Nvidia initially announced DLSS 5 in March, but it immediately faced a wave of backlash with many gamers complaining the feature threatened to add an “AI slop” filter to their games. In July, Nvidia re-pitched the technology, showcasing how DLSS 5 could add photorealism while preserving the game developer’s artistic intent.
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I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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