F1 25 Runs Full Path Tracing on PS5 Pro, a Console First

At GDC, I spent ten minutes staring at EA's booth screen. The F1 25 demo showed full path tracing—reflections, shadows, light scattering—all calculated in real time on PS5 Pro. This marks the first time console players can access this level of lighting tech, previously exclusive to high-end PC GPUs.

Path tracing simulates light behavior as it occurs in reality. Each ray bounces off car bodies, track surfaces, and barriers, refracting until it forms the final image. EA deployed its proprietary EA SEED ORCA technology, running natively at 1080p/30 FPS, then upscaling to 4K via PSSR. Frame rates remain modest, but the lighting quality delivers.

PS5 Pro represents a substantial leap in ray tracing capability. The base PS5 handles only partial ray tracing; Pro executes full path tracing, giving developers a new tool. Racing games depend heavily on lighting—paint reflections, wet surface mirrors, nighttime illumination—and full path tracing elevates these details significantly.

The trade-off: a console costing five to six thousand yuan running 1080p/30 FPS requires careful consideration. PC's RTX 3080 Ti has supported full path tracing for years, offering higher frame rates and resolution flexibility at a premium. PS5 Pro's advantage lies in optimized, plug-and-play performance without driver tweaking. For console players, this eliminates the need to envy PC lighting effects.

This trajectory suggests console visual ceilings will continue rising. EA's willingness to showcase this demo at GDC indicates the technology has reached commercial viability. Whether F1 25's retail version retains full path tracing mode remains uncertain, but PS5 Pro's capability is confirmed. Players prioritizing visual fidelity have reason to anticipate what's ahead.