Yesterday we reported that unlike its Steam version, the Game Pass version of The Ascent does not support ray tracing and DLSS. A number of players took to Reddit to discuss this, as they weren’t aware that the two versions would be any different. As of now, there are no DLSS or ray tracing options in the game’s Settings menu on Game Pass.
However, Tor Frick, co-founder of Neon Giant took to Twitter to confirm that the developer is currently working on bringing DLSS and ray tracing support to the Game Pass version. As spotted by Eurogamer, Frick replied to a number of tweets by annoyed players, assuring them that support for the features will soon be implemented.
“We are working on bringing them up to parity. The level load is news to me though, thanks for bringing that to my attention!” replied Frick to a tweet complaining about the lack of features and also the absence of a difficulty setting which is available on the Steam version. “It is being looked at, with the intent of fixing it/bringing it to parity with steam across the board,” said Frick to another tweet which asked whether the issue will be addressed.
In another reply Frick stated that the reason for the difference was because of differing development processes. “We are working with our partners on adressing [sic] this as soon as we can! Build processes are different for the two versions, not just a storefront swap.”
While this issue has been addressed by Neon Giant, there’s been no word on when we can expect the update. Support updates like these could take a week or two, but the developer will probably be looking to put it out as soon as possible to avoid getting too much flack. The Ascent was already delayed from its original launch date, which was to be alongside the Xbox Series X|S launch.
In our hands-on of the game we said, "From the design of its open hub city to its combat, The Ascent pulled me into its world that feels like a healthy combination of Cloudpunk, The Fifth Element, and even Super Mario Bros. (the movie). I know what you're thinking, but that last comparison is absolutely a compliment."