When the PlayStation 5 launched, fans expected a higher level of fidelity in games. The previous generation had already pushed visuals to near Pixar-like quality and many gamers expected that this could be the console where visuals would move up another notch thanks to ray-tracing.

Launch titles such as Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales did show off that technical feat. The rendering technique allows video games to look more realistic by simulating how light works on surfaces. Windows would reflect the world outside. Puddles would capture the hue of neon lights in a grimy alley. The games had these graphical touches, but gamers discovered a compromise.