We are officially six years into the PlayStation 5 lifecycle, and arguably FromSoftware’s most celebrated title, Bloodborne, remains locked to its original 30fps performance. While fans have spent years clamoring for an official upgrade—or even a full-blown remake—the game has stayed in the Hunter's Dream without a single performance boost. Now, a new investigation from Digital Foundry provides technical proof that the hardware has been capable of much more all along.
The Hardware Is Already Capable
Through a series of system patches created by a modder named Christina, Digital Foundry demonstrated that the base PS5 hardware can indeed run Bloodborne at significantly higher frame rates and resolutions. By unlocking the console's full CPU and GPU clock speeds and allocating an extra 4GB of system memory, the game was shown running at a native 4K at 30fps, 1440p at 60fps, and even a blistering 120fps at 1080p.
Crucially, the higher frame rates appear to function without breaking the game’s core internal logic, such as physics or animation triggers, which are often the primary hurdles when uncapping frame rates in older titles. Richard Leadbetter of Digital Foundry noted that the visuals hold up well and the 1440p/60Hz mode provides a much smoother experience with a noticeable reduction in input lag.
What's Stopping an Official Patch?
There have been many theories regarding the lack of an official upgrade, ranging from the closure of Japan Studio to reports that director Hidetaka Miyazaki is protective of the original work. Additionally, technical concerns about hardcoded 30fps limits—similar to those seen in Dark Souls on PC—have long been cited as a reason why a simple "switch-flipping" patch wouldn't work.
However, the new findings suggest that the barrier might be less about the game code itself and more about the limitations of the current PS5 backward compatibility environment. Leadbetter explains that for these performance gains to be realized on retail consoles, Sony would need to roll out a system-wide update allowing older apps to access extra memory and maximum clock speeds. While Digital Foundry acknowledges that this would require a "fair amount of upfront effort" from Sony, the potential benefits extend far beyond Yharnam.
"It's not just Bloodborne that stands to benefit," Leadbetter said. "There's a whole range of PS4 games that could gain a new lease on life with this sort of system in place."
Until Sony decides to update its backward compatibility framework, the dream of a smooth, high-resolution Bloodborne experience remains limited to those willing to modify their consoles, leaving the wider player base waiting for an official word that has yet to arrive.