DLSS 5 Leaked Early – Modders Are Already Testing It in Cyberpunk 2077 and The Last of Us Part 2

The next generation of Nvidia's DLSS was supposed to be kept under wraps – but now the first files are already circulating freely online. The leak was discovered in the data of the NBA-2K27 beta: There, a file named “nvngx_dlssnr.dll” was found, indicating a new, AI-powered neural rendering module. Within a few hours, modders had extracted the file and integrated it into completely different games.

Among the first titles tested were Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and The Last of Us Part 2. The results vary extremely.

What exactly does DLSS 5 do in the tested games?

• Origin of the leak: File “nvngx_dlssnr.dll” discovered in the NBA-2K27 beta data
• Tested, among others, in Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, The Last of Us Part 2, and Control
• In some cases, more detailed skin, clothing, and lighting rendition visible
• In some cases, significantly altered faces of well-known characters like Cloud and Ellie
• In Control, the framerate with an RTX 5070 Ti in 4K drops from 71 to 37 frames per second

Is this already the final version of DLSS 5?

No, and that's exactly what's important to know: The modder version runs completely without the fine-tuning that Nvidia would normally use to adapt the feature to a game. All sliders can currently be freely adjusted by fans – some intentionally crank everything to the max to create the most bizarre, viral comparison images possible. The massive framerate drop in Control is therefore likely due to a lack of optimization rather than the finished feature itself.

From our perspective, the leak still shows where things are headed: Nvidia is apparently working on a true neural rendering approach that goes beyond classic upscaling and directly intervenes in character depiction – see the altered faces of Cloud and Ellie. This also explains why the community is so divided in its reaction: Those who want sharper textures are thrilled, while those who are attached to familiar character designs tend to be skeptical. Nvidia will therefore likely still significantly fine-tune things before the official presentation.

Source: PC Gamer, Tom’s Hardware

Have you already tested the leaked DLSS 5 version yourself? Share your impressions with us in the comments!