Guerrilla Reveals Decima Engine Upscaling: Rivaling Sony’s PSSR

Guerrilla’s Tech Wizardry: Beating Sony at Its Own Game?

We’ve seen Guerrilla Games pull off some serious technical black magic in the past. From the jaw-dropping vistas in Horizon Forbidden West to the sheer efficiency of the Decima Engine in Death Stranding, the Dutch studio has a reputation for squeezing every drop of juice out of PlayStation hardware. But the latest word from the frontline is a bit of a shocker: Guerrilla hasn’t just adopted Sony’s shiny new PSSR tech; they’ve built something better—or at least something that gives it a massive run for its money.

For those of us tracking the "resolution wars," PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) was supposed to be the end-all-be-all. It’s Sony’s answer to DLSS, a system-level AI upscaler designed to give us that 4K-like crispness without the heavy GPU tax. However, our take is that Guerrilla isn't satisfied with "one size fits all" software. By building a custom upscaler directly into the Decima Engine, they are able to bypass the generic artifacts that sometimes plague system-wide solutions. We’re talking about cleaner edges, less ghosting in fast-motion scenes, and a level of stability that makes standard upscaling look a bit dated.

The Decima Engine vs. The World

The Decima Engine has always been the quiet MVP of the PlayStation ecosystem. While other engines struggle with the transition to more demanding hardware, Decima seems to thrive. This new upscaling breakthrough means that any studio using Decima—including Kojima Productions—now has access to a toolset that potentially outclasses the standard PS5 software stack.

In our experience, custom-built upscalers usually have a leg up because they "know" the engine's internal data better than a generic post-processing layer. They can access motion vectors and depth buffers with more precision. If Guerrilla’s new tech can truly rival PSSR, it means they’ve solved the shimmering and "jaggies" that often break immersion in dense, foliage-heavy environments like those found in the Horizon series. This is a huge flex for a first-party studio, essentially saying they can out-engineer the platform’s core firmware team when it comes to visual fidelity.

Why Custom Tech Matters Right Now

Looking at the current state of the market in early 2026, the demand for high-performance gaming is at an all-time high. We’re seeing massive releases like God of War: Sons of Sparta and Nioh 3 pushing the boundaries of what the PS5 can handle. When you’re trying to maintain a rock-solid 60fps at high resolutions, every millisecond of frame time counts.

Guerrilla’s decision to go rogue with its own tech suggests that PSSR might have some overhead or limitations that didn’t sit right with their vision. For the min-maxers out there, this is great news. It means we aren't stuck with a single scaling method. If the Decima-specific upscaler can deliver a cleaner image with lower latency, it becomes the new gold standard for the engine's future titles. It’s the kind of QoL improvement that gamers might not notice on a spec sheet, but they’ll definitely feel it when they’re dodging machine-beasts at 4K/60.

A Bitter-Sweet Era for PlayStation Studios

It’s hard to talk about technical triumphs without addressing the dark cloud hanging over the PlayStation family. The same week we’re hearing about Guerrilla’s brilliance, we’re mourning the loss of Bluepoint Games. Sony’s decision to shut down the masters of the remake has sent shockwaves through the community. It leaves a strange taste in the mouth: on one hand, we have Guerrilla pushing the absolute limits of the medium; on the other, we see the studio behind the Demon’s Souls remake being shuttered.

This suggests a massive shift in Sony’s strategy. They seem to be doubling down on their "powerhouse" studios—those that develop their own tech and engines—while consolidating elsewhere. Guerrilla is clearly in the "untouchable" category. Their ability to innovate at the code level makes them more than just game developers; they are the architects of the PlayStation visual identity. While we’re excited to see this new upscaling tech in action, it’s a reminder that the industry is becoming increasingly top-heavy.

What’s Next for the Decima Upscaler?

The real test will be how this tech handles third-party integrations and upcoming ports. With Avowed finally making its way to PS5, we’re seeing more cross-pollination than ever. If Decima's upscaler can be utilized by other studios under the Sony umbrella, it could become a secret weapon in the fight against hardware limitations.

We expect to see this tech fully showcased in whatever Guerrilla is working on next. Whether it’s a new Horizon entry or a fresh IP, the bar has been moved. While PSSR will remain the go-to for the majority of the PS5 library, Decima-powered games are about to look like they’re running on a whole different generation of hardware. For a tech analyst, this is the kind of mid-cycle innovation that keeps things interesting. Guerrilla isn't just playing the game; they’re rewriting the rules of how it’s rendered.

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