GTA 6 Launch Trailer Holds 1440p on PS5, Digital Foundry Finds, as HDR and Haziness Draw Scrutiny

Digital Foundry’s GTA 6 launch trailer analysis has concluded that the PS5 footage shows no resolution downgrade, countering a wave of viewer complaints that the new video looked softer than earlier material. The trailer arrived one month before the game’s November 19 release, and the analysis was published on October 16, 2026.

Resolution: 1440p, then 4K

The game continues to render at 1440p before upscaling to 4K, according to Digital Foundry. The outlet found no change in resolution in the PS5-captured footage. It also turned up no evidence of QSSR, the AI upscaling technology positioned as an alternative to the PS5 Pro’s PSSR.

Digital Foundry went on to question whether QSSR would be worth using at all, citing the higher latency it could introduce. That leaves open the possibility that the final release could differ, but nothing in this trailer points to it.

Animation looks steadier

Earlier trailers and the Netflix Extended Look drew criticism for uneven animation during fast camera pans. Frame rates held up, yet character movement looked choppy. In the launch trailer, those problems were absent, and Digital Foundry described the animation as smoother. The outlet cautioned that the sample size is small.

Performance in the new cinematic impressed the analysis. Object detail and lighting effects also earned praise. Two moments stood out: a shower scene, where sunlight interacts with water droplets, and an iguana crossing a road, cited as a realistic depiction of wildlife.

Why does it look hazy?

Viewers widely criticized a hazy appearance and excessive bloom. Digital Foundry agreed that the graphics had changed, but suggested the effect may be specific to this footage rather than a broader shift in the game’s look. Whether the haziness carries over to the final release remains unknown.

HDR concerns

Digital Foundry noted drawbacks in the trailer’s HDR output. Filippo Tarpini, formerly of Remedy Entertainment, observed distorted hues during color shifts. He suggested that AgX tone mapping may be causing the poor HDR results. Whether those issues will persist in the finished game has not been established.

With release less than five weeks away, the trailer offers the clearest look yet at how GTA 6 performs on PS5. Questions about frame-rate consistency and final quality will only be settled once the game is in players’ hands.