The Blood of Dawnwalker’s console modes top out at 40fps, with no 60fps option at launch
The Blood of Dawnwalker will launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S without a 60fps performance mode, according to newly released console gameplay. Its highest available option will target 40fps, a decision that has prompted criticism from some players and may affect expectations for the forthcoming action RPG.
Both consoles will offer a Quality Mode targeting 30fps at dynamic 4K and a Balanced Mode targeting 40fps at dynamic 4K; PS5 Pro will use the same targets but with improved visual quality. Developed by Rebel Wolves and directed by former Witcher 3 game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, the game is due on 3 September, while no confirmed post-launch 60fps patch has been identified.
- Dawnwalker launches without a 60fps console mode.
- Balanced Mode targets 40fps at dynamic 4K.
- The RPG is due on 3 September.
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The Blood of Dawnwalker is an upcoming action role-playing game, a type of game in which players control a character through a story and combat. It is being made by Rebel Wolves, a studio led by former Witcher 3 director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, and is due for release on 3 September.
PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S are current-generation consoles. Games can offer different display modes that trade visual detail for smoother movement; frame rate measures how many images appear each second, while dynamic 4K means the resolution can change to maintain performance. These options help explain what players can expect from the game on each console.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Advocates emphasise that visual fidelity justifies the performance target. By maintaining dynamic 4K with robust graphical detail rather than compromising for 60fps, developers prioritise visual impact in an action RPG where frame rate smoothness matters less than environmental richness. Some players genuinely prefer graphical excellence to incremental frame rate gains, and 40fps represents a reasonable middle ground between visual ambition and acceptable performance.
The case against
Critics contend that current-generation consoles routinely deliver 60fps performance modes, making this feel like regression. 40fps occupies an awkward middle ground between 30fps and 60fps that satisfies neither priority fully, whilst competitors achieve comparable visuals at 60fps, removing player agency in performance-versus-quality decisions.