Report: GTA5 PSN version stutters compared with PS3 retail copy
Digital Foundry finds noticeable streaming issues with the PSN digital edition of Grand Theft Auto 5, as compared with the PS3 retail edition. Major issues include pop-in geometry and delayed textures and shading, mostly prevalent during full-speed drives through Los Santos' congested city streets. The digital version's opening sequence also has lagging textures.
Before launch, Rockstar warned Xbox 360 players to not install the second "Play" disc to the console's hard drive, and Digital Foundry found that doing so results in missing objects and pop-in textures. The PSN version's problems "aren't as nefarious" as the Xbox 360 dual-install method, but they're still noticeable, the site reports.
"It must be stressed that pop-in to this level isn't a constant, and only hits in at full force when traveling at breakneck speeds through the busiest streets – and it is largely absent when driving around less built-up areas and almost completely non-existent during on-foot action," the site says. "Also, this isn't to say the disc-based release is entirely exempt from pop-in; minor objects like boxes and telephone booths can fade in during synchronized high-stress runs on the very same street, but it's fair to say the disc version never reaches the same level in these worst-case scenarios."
Digital Foundry also encountered issues downloading GTA5 via PSN, receiving multiple errors before a successful download – which then took three hours, and another hour for installation. GTA5 generated $800 million in sales in its first 24 hours on shelves, so it seems a lot people previously decided retail was the way to go.
